novelhk Chapter 166 Food War
Chapter 166 Food War
Pei Xingjian continued, "That's right, now we should spread the word and let those who are interested enter the imperial farm, so that they can personally verify the growth of hybrid rice.
I have paid attention to this before. The hybrid rice has already bloomed. Compared with ordinary rice, it is not only taller, but the rice stalks are also thick and straight. Anyone who knows the business can tell the yield per mu at a glance.
We will use rice seeds as bait to attract profits, and we will surely be able to divide and disintegrate a group of families that are not determined to resist, thereby eliminating this food crisis from within each family!"
Awesome! !
Li Chengqian and Li Jing both looked at Pei Xingjian with admiration.
Li Chengqian could not help but sigh, thinking that he was worthy of being a famous official in the early Tang Dynasty, as he could come up with such an ingenious strategy in such a short time.
"Very good, I'll leave this matter to you to arrange, but please be careful about the situation."
Pei Xingjian cupped his hands and said, "I understand. I will go to the clan and inform them of this matter. I will make this known to the public through the mouths of the Hedong family."
Pei Xingjian was about to leave, but was stopped by Li Chengqian: "You only have one day. The next time travel will start the day after tomorrow. You must return to Chang'an before then."
Pei Xingjian bowed again: "I understand!"
Afterwards, Li Chengqian and his party continued to ride at full speed, traveling all night, and finally arrived outside Chang'an city in the early morning of the next day.
But they did not return to the city immediately, but came to the hybrid rice experimental field in the imperial farm.
The rice has begun to be grafted. It is still empty inside and has not yet started to fill with grain. However, the size of the rice grains and the number of rice ears produced by each rice plant can indicate the yield of hybrid rice.
Although the Guanzhong area is not suitable for growing rice, with careful cultivation, you can successfully harvest the grain if you are willing.
As for the specific promotion to the Huainan and Jiangnan areas later, that will be a matter for later.
The prerequisite is that you must first have the first batch of grain seeds.
Li Jing squatted on the ground and gently stroked the rice ears: "Auspicious sign!!"
At this moment, Li Chengqian suddenly thought that the growth cycle of corn seemed to be similar to that of rice.
He had previously received reports from relevant personnel on the growth of corn, but the corn seeds he purchased later in life were genetically modified and would decay after one or two generations.
Unlike the native hybrid rice seeds he obtained from Mr. Yuan, which can reproduce from generation to generation.
So I didn't pay much attention to the corn experimental field.
But at this time, having one more high-yield grain crop would double the impact on the aristocratic families.
In addition, there are spices such as peppers, as well as other vegetables, fruits and melons.
Displaying them as a whole package could shake up the middle and lower class families who did not want to confront the imperial court.
"Old Li, let's go to the corn experimental field and take a look."
"corn!!"
Li Jing didn't know much about corn. After all, most of the seeds he brought back were hybrid rice. Corn was just enough for one person's stomach, and the planting area was less than one mu of land, so it was not taken seriously at all.
But at this time, His Royal Highness the Crown Prince asked to see corn. Could it be that this grain crop also has a high yield?
With doubts, the group came to a corn experimental field not far away, where an old farmer was weeding in the field.
Because it is an experimental field, every crop is cultivated carefully.
Each plot of land has a dedicated person in charge of field management such as weeding, fertilizing, and pest control, and they are all experienced farmers.
When the old farmer saw Li Chengqian and his party suddenly coming to visit, he thought it was his superior who came to check on him again, so he quickly bowed and stood aside.
"I am honored to meet you all, my Lords."
Li Chengqian and Li Jing stepped forward and helped the old farmer up as he saluted.
"Old man, how is the corn growing?"
At this point, the old farmer had something to say and immediately opened up.
"Auspicious, auspicious!"
As he spoke, he grabbed Li Chengqian's hand and said, "Sir, come with me and take a look at these big bulges. There are three or four of them on each plant. They haven't grown yet. When they grow up, each one will probably weigh more than one and a half kilograms."
When Li Chengqian was about to open the corn husk to check the condition of the scion inside, he was stopped by the old farmer.
"Your Excellency, I cannot do that. My superiors have instructed us to strictly follow the planting manual to manage the fields. No one is allowed to move the fields before the harvest."
Li Chengqian smiled and said, "I am the Shangguan you mentioned."
Li Jing explained, "I haven't met His Royal Highness the Crown Prince yet."
"Madam...Your Highness the Crown Prince!!"
"I pay my respects to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince..."
Li Chengqian asked again: "Can I see it now?"
"Yes, yes, yes. This land belongs to His Royal Highness the Crown Prince. Naturally, His Royal Highness can see it."
"Get up!"
Then Li Chengqian broke open the outer husk of a corn, and the golden corn kernels inside had already formed, but they were still very soft, mostly water, and not much starch.
It will probably take at least half a month to mature.
After wrapping the corn, Li Chengqian looked at the old farmer and said, "That's it. Old man, continue to take good care of the farm. I'm leaving now."
"Farewell, His Royal Highness..."
The old farmer knelt on the ground for a long time before he dared to stand up and watched the backs of the group leaving...
"His Royal Highness the Crown Prince has a very gentle personality and doesn't act like a noble. Why are there rumors saying that he has a perverse personality and likes homosexuality?!"
"It must be a rumor. Damn it. I wonder who will dare to gossip about it in the future..."
There is only one day left.
But a lot of things happened during this day.
The imperial court issued an order to open the granaries and release grain, thus replenishing the sudden decrease in food supply on the market.
The price of grain did not cause much fluctuation, and even the people did not notice what was happening here.
At the same time, after receiving the summons, the Hedong and Guanlong families, although somewhat reluctant, still obeyed the court's order and joined the ranks of opening the granaries to release grain.
In the entire Hedong Province, due to the demise of the Wang family of Taiyuan, other aristocratic families in the surrounding areas no longer dared to confront the imperial court head-on.
Therefore, Hedong Road was not affected by the food crisis, but instead became one of the bases for exporting food.
Li Shimin also issued an order to Li Ke in Shu, ordering him to draw grain from Shu to support the Central Plains.
But when Li Ke received this imperial edict, he had already willingly become a pawn of the Qinghe Cui family under the coercion and inducement of the family.
You said he was forced, and you can say that, because he really had no idea of the throne at the beginning.
But you are right to say that he did it voluntarily, because as long as you don't want to, even the Cui family of Qinghe can't force you.
It can only be said that under the instigation of Qinghe Cui, the ambition that Li Ke had always hidden deep in his heart was rekindled.
Now Li Shimin asks him to adjust the grain supply. Will he listen or not?
Li Ke looked at the members of the Qinghe Cui family under his command, and finally sighed deeply and chose to shut up...
On the other hand, with Pei Xingjian's special publicity, the news that there was a new high-yield grain variety in the imperial farm outside Chang'an City quickly spread to all the noble families in the world.