Three Kingdoms

  Chapter 2468 The seeds planted

In terms of farming, Anxi fennel is more adaptable than ordinary Zhuanghe. It is drought-tolerant and fearful of waterlogging. It has no strict requirements on soil. It can be directly planted on sandy loam soil with general permeability and good drainage. It can be planted directly with soybeans, vegetables, etc. Rotational farming can be done, and it can also be cultivated individually.

  At the same time, benzo fennel also has a variety of medicinal effects, anti-allergic and anti-oxidant, which is a very beneficial supplement to the human body. It is also an important spice introduced from the Western Regions in addition to pepper.

  Simply speaking, for the area of ​​Longyou and Longxi, the economic effect of planting fennel is better than that of ordinary wheatgrass.

   And the importance of growing cotton, not to mention.

  Whether it is resting fennel or cotton, it is an urgently needed material for Fiqian to expand the planting area. Only by supplying a large amount of seeds can we ensure that during the process of planting expansion, the production will not be reduced due to some bad seeds or insect damage during planting.

In the Han Dynasty, there were no effective insecticides like those of the later generations. Even if Feiqian improved the planting method and soaked the seeds with plant ash before each sowing, the insecticidal effect was actually mediocre, and there was no way to achieve the kind of later generations. The effect of killing insects and weeds, so the yield will definitely be greatly affected.

   Especially cotton.

   Not only those who like to eat cotton seedlings, but also insects who like to eat cotton fibers.

  Every advancement in farming technology requires a lot of practical experience.

  The larger the planting area, the stronger the fault tolerance will naturally be.

"In Gaochang, there is this thing..." Fei Qian pointed to the cotton, and said slowly, "It's just that this Gaochang Baiji is not suitable for growing in Guan... What I need is more, especially in milder places. The baijiu that grows in the region...』

  Bai Ji, also known as white stack. It is the name of cotton in the Han Dynasty, and it is called Baibei in other areas. Hey, doesn't it look like a shape, like a blossoming cotton on a branch, with white hairs protruding from the edges?

  Gaochang Baiji, perhaps the earliest cotton that people in the Han Dynasty came into contact with, and it was also the one brought back by Baique. Well, Fei Qian sometimes thinks about it, Baique seems to reflect that he was born to do this even in his name...

  Bai Ji, white sparrow.

  It's a pity that these cotton species brought back by the white sparrow have been proved to be not very suitable for large-scale planting in Guanzhong or warmer areas. Just like tangerines grown in Huainan will become tangerines, and plants grown in Huaibei will become oranges. Plants also have certain adaptability, and this transformation of adaptability cannot be done in a day or two. In addition to using divine power to accelerate, or system blessings, it is indeed a headache for Lou Bi, who has neither a supernatural power nor a system grandfather, like Fei Qian.

  In the severe cold season, rich people can nest on the kang, wear fur clothes and thick robes stuffed with feathers to keep warm. The poor garrison soldiers did not have such conditions, so they could only stuff reed flowers, catkins, and straw into the interlayer of their robes. A few people shivered and huddled together, burning the scarce firewood in winter, and relying on shaking to keep warm.

   Nesting at home can somewhat avoid the wind and rain, but once you need to go out and encounter severe cold weather, the outdoors can go below zero, and it is common for people to freeze to death in Dahan. Even if they didn't freeze to death, missing ears and missing fingers due to long-term exposure to low temperature is common.

  In the Western Regions and Mobei, the temperature in winter is even lower!

Because of the climate, the Dahan gentry system has a general recognition that these bitterly cold lands are not suitable for farming, and they don't want to develop them. But in fact, for these areas, whether it is animal husbandry, planting, or mining, they are An empire wants strong foundations.

  If you want to develop, you need someone, at least someone who can stay. This needs to ensure that these people are not just soldiers, but ordinary people can also get better protection against the cold. If cotton can be widely planted at this time, at least there will be more than the current Changan River East, then With cotton jackets when going out and quilts at home, the Han people can push the line of habitual residence northward to a wider area!

  In addition to seeds, Fei Qian also expressed that he would purchase these commercial crops in large quantities. In the area under the current Feiqian's control, the land suitable for farming is not very abundant. If a large amount of cotton or sibba fennel is planted, it will inevitably squeeze the original food production areas, so it is necessary to open up a wider market.

Sbolis nodded and said, "I know where...if you want to meet the army...this price..." Sbolis knew that there was a lot of this cotton in Shendu, but it had to be transported from Anxi, but it was not too difficult. After all, cotton is only bulky, and its relative weight is lighter than other goods, so it is not very difficult to transport.

   Fei Qian smiled, "I don't care about the price, you can talk to the Dahan Chamber of Commerce." 』

   Let professional people do professional things, Feiqian only needs results here.

   The ability to bargain, although Fei Qian is also good, but it is not necessary now.

  Sbolis rolled his eyes twice, but in the end he didn't say anything, but set his eyes on the third bag.

   What came out of the bag were some finger-thick rhizome-like things. Perhaps it had been left for a long time, and the color was a little dull and shriveled. There was also another small bag of seeds the size of corn.

   Are all seeds to be planted?

   Is it the eccentricity of this big Han general, or some other reason?

  Sbolis looked up at Fei Qian, and a question appeared in his mind. However, Han people like farming, which is also a recognized thing, so although Sbolis feels a little weird in his heart, he can generally accept it.

   What the hell, the emphasis is on silk!

   As long as there is enough silk, everything is not a problem!

Sbolis began to look carefully at the two shriveled plant roots, which were as thick as fingers, and finally took back these bags one by one in his arms, and expressed his gratitude to Fei Qian for his reception and reminder. We will negotiate with the Dahan Chamber of Commerce to determine the final result as soon as possible.

"that's it? 』Sboris seemed a little unbelievable.

   are some seeds or something, in fact, there is not much difficulty.

   This rhizome is wild carrot.

  Because Fei Qian bought a large number of strange seeds and plants, on the one hand, as a strategic reserve, on the other hand, he also wanted to use this method to try to expand the planting lineage in China and make China's material system more abundant.

   After Yun Er's tribe joined Fei Qian's command, they brought this wild carrot from the Congling area. Of course, this thing, no matter in appearance or size, is very different from later generations, so that Fei Qian pondered for a long time, and even tried it himself, before he was 80 to 90% sure that this thing might be wild. carrots.

   What's interesting is that this wild carrot was not actually eaten at the beginning, but its seeds were crushed and used as spices...

Compared with the carrots of later generations, the current wild carrots are small in size and poor in taste. If Feiqian saw that the carotene released after frying stained the oil, it may not be certain This ugly little guy may be the ancestor of later generations of carrots.

  Carotene, lycopene, and anthocyanins are all beneficial ingredients for the human body, especially for improving the physique of the Chinese human body, enhancing human body functions, delaying aging, etc., all of which have certain effects.

For the people of the Han Dynasty, of course, there is no possibility of excessive intake of these beneficial ingredients, but an extreme lack. For example, carotene can protect and improve eyesight. If coupled with the animal husbandry that Fei Qian is already promoting Breeding, the intake of oil and animal offal will definitely help more and more Chinese people get rid of night blindness.

  Even if it is used on a small scale, it will bring the night combat ability of Fei Qian's soldiers to another level.

Fei Qian nodded his head as a matter of course, chatted a little more, and waited until Shi Bolis was about to say goodbye, and then added: "Oh, yes, there is one more thing, that Jarvis or something, the person who sent it all It's too bad... too bad, I can only do coolies, you understand? I also need some better people, such as those who can read and read... I will pay a high price...』

  Sbolis was a little embarrassed, "Who can read? These people are afraid that they don’t want to come…”

"This is your business..." Fei Qian laughed and said, "But I know you have a way...you know, I am going to make a Qinglong Temple...well, that is, a grand gathering of words, I want to become the most powerful man Great General! So, I think if you can bring some of your scholars, I will be very happy... Once I am happy, maybe I can give you more benefits...』

  Sboris raised his eyebrows, nodded and said: "This matter...Jarvis really can't do it...Although it is a bit difficult, I think I should be able to..."

   Fei Qian spoke very bluntly, even a little vulgarly, but this made Sbolis feel relieved. Didn't Caesar back then have such big ambitions...

  Having ambitions is not a problem, but having no benefits is a problem.

  With interests, even excess interests, then everything is not a problem.

  Being a businessman, isn’t it just about running around for profit?

   All of a sudden, both of them burst out laughing.

   Fei Qian sent Sbolis away, and had some expectations.

  The agreement has been reached for the time being, as if the seeds were planted first, and it will take time to see what will grow...

  ... (⊙_⊙;)...

   Outside Chang'an City, outside Wubao, which is dominated by garrison soldiers, there is a newly repaired canal.

  The blue bricks on the canal are newly replaced.

With the completion of the new brick kiln in the labor camp, the supply of blue and red bricks has been greatly improved, which not only makes ordinary farmers able to afford the consumption of bricks and tiles, but also has sufficient quantities to supply ordinary people. engineering use.

  This aqueduct is not the main channel. It provides irrigation for about 150 acres of surrounding areas, and it is also specially allocated to jujubes for the planting of related vegetables and Zhuanghe. It can be said that including here, as well as Zuo Fengyi and several Wubao in Hedong, are the most advanced agricultural experiment bases of Dahan.

  The gurgling water of the canal has nourished this piece of land that was originally dry and water-poor, and the hardworking farmers and officials have made it rejuvenate.

Most of these are vegetables commonly eaten by Han people, such as onions, leeks, and sunflowers, but there are also dozens of acres of land separated by field ridges. That is the private plot of Dasinong Zaozhi, which is specially used to grow various novel crops. An experimental field for cotton and various exotic melons and fruits.

Zaozhi and the kind who just stand on the ridge of the field and point and point, their robes and black-faced satin boots are reluctant to be stained with a little dust, even talking requires several people to fight for umbrellas, their belly is full of fat The appearance of the civil servants and officials is completely different. If you don't pay attention a little bit, you may think that Zaozhi is just an ordinary farmer.

  At the moment, Zao Zhi, with a gleam of sweat on his wheat-colored skin, was wearing a short gown with the sleeves rolled up, exposing his arms and legs, stained with mud, squatting on the edge of the ditch to wash his hands.

"The growth is not bad..." Zaoyi said to the doctor of agronomy who was beside him, "There are more insects in the third field and the fifth field, and I will send someone to spray some ash water later... The Huoye in the eighth field has Part of it is yellow, I don’t think the soil is too dry, it doesn’t seem like it’s lacking in water... we’ll have to check it out...』

  Zaozhi rambled on, some were to record observations, and some were ordered to be dealt with, and the doctor of agronomy who followed Zaozhi also respectfully wrote it down, and then split up to do it.

  The position of "Da Sinong" under the Hussar General is fundamentally different from the position of Da Sinong before the Han Dynasty.

  Zaozhi's "Da Sinong" is a real technical position, while the Da Sinong among the three gongs and nine ministers of the Han Dynasty can only be regarded as a bureaucratic position.

At the beginning of the Western Han Dynasty, the Dasinong did have many technical positions, such as in charge of collecting and storing rice millet, in charge of supplying rations to officials and in charge of quantity control, and also in charge of arranging for the emperor to personally cultivate, and in charge of the harvest of Jitian for sacrificial offerings. Yes, there are also those who are in charge of the accumulation of national money and goods, and those who are in charge of casting money. Basically, many of them are related to some specific technologies. Pingzhun, Guan Sanlingcheng, and the rest were all reduced or transferred to the prefecture, and Da Si Nong became a pure central finance chief, no longer in charge of some technical affairs.

  Pure bureaucrats pay more attention to their own official hats, and who would care about the various improvements and developments that were originally within the responsibility of the Dasinong?

Therefore, the post of "Da Sinonong" reconstructed by General Hushi puts the financial and logistics items in the hands of Xun You, while Zaozhi is more similar to the Da Sinonong in the Western Han Dynasty, focusing more on agricultural related technologies. .

   Zaozhi was also very happy about this change. He had always liked these plants, and even thought that plants were simpler and more straightforward than people. As long as they are good to plants, plants will try their best to repay humans with abundant melons and fruits, but if they are good to humans, the rewards may not always be good...

  After years of cultivation, the crops in these experimental fields have grown very well.

  Zaozhi just went to the ground, personally removed some newly grown weeds, and after counting the relevant data, he took a wash with the soil and sat down to rest.

  Beside the ditch, there is a small green herbaceous plant. If you get close and smell it carefully, in addition to the smell of mud and manure in the soil, you can also smell a refreshing fragrance. This vegetable is "coriander".

   Zhang Qian brought some back from the Western Regions back then, but it was gradually lost. After Fei Qian reopened the Western Regions, this "coriander" really reappeared on the dining table of the big man.

  When jujube only eats soup cakes, I always like to cut up some coriander, sprinkle it with green onions and scallions, and then pour it with hot oil, which is a beauty.

   This is of course the way of eating taught by Fei Qian...

  According to Fei Qian, there is still a delicacy called chili in this world, but it is a pity that it has not been found yet. If there is chili, this oily soup cake is perfect.

  Of course, not everyone likes "coriander" that much. For example, Pang Tong doesn't like the taste of "coriander", and even thinks it smells bad, which makes Zaozhi, who likes to eat "coriander", feel a little strange.

  Why is this "coriander" smelly?

  However, Zaozhi later discovered that there are indeed some people like Pang Tong who think that "coriander" is stinky, which makes Zaozhi very strange and puzzled.

   Then Fei Qian said that this involves biological knowledge...

  Biological means the things born between heaven and earth.

This made Zaozhi very excited, feeling that besides Nongsang, there seemed to be another vague thing presented in front of his eyes, like a brand new land, waiting for Zaozhi to develop, plant, and then watch Fruity.

   But the main work in Wubao in the past two days is not "coriander", but melons and fruits.

  The most harvested in summer are all kinds of melons and fruits, and they can be harvested one after another until autumn.

   Among them are courgettes.

The name change of cucumber came during the period of the Five Hu and Sixteen Kingdoms. Later Zhao Emperor Shi Le tabooed the word Hu. Think of the time when your ancestors were weak and bullied and become more self-reliant?

The current courgettes of the big man, like carrots, do not look like those of later generations at all. Except for some similarities in the outer skin, they have almost no similarities. Not only are they small and stubby, but there is also a very The troublesome thing is that you have to pick it off and eat it when it is fresh, otherwise, when it grows old, the courgette will look like a hedgehog, dry and hard, it can be used as a meteor hammer, and it will be blood when it is smashed dripping!

   There was no convenient refrigerator in the Han Dynasty, and the melons and fruits were not resistant to storage, so if you want to eat fresh, you can only basically pick and eat them now. There are refrigerators among the rich and powerful families of the sons and daughters of the gentry, but they are not affordable for ordinary people. It is obviously not cost-effective to store vegetables and fruits such as courgettes.

  So if you want to store these courgettes, you can only pickle them.

  During this period of time, the newly picked courgettes were washed in the drain, and then put into jars for pickling. The jar must also be cleaned in advance, and then baked on the fire before it can be used to hold these pickled courgettes, so as not to deteriorate and rot after half of the pickling.

  Of course, in this season, you don’t need to eat pickled ones, you can still eat fresh ones.

  After peeling off the outer skin with a knife, the melon meat inside is still crunchy, slightly sour, and a little bitter, but it is still a good thing to cool off in summer. If you add a little sour vinegar, it will be even more wonderful...

  Of course, Pang Tong also doesn't like this way of adding sour vinegar. He likes to add some icing sugar.

  As for Hussar General Fei Qian, he can do anything.

Zaozhi sometimes sighs with emotion, perhaps only people like Fei Qian who are tolerant of everything and are not picky eaters can gather so many officials and people from various places with different habits under their command, and then they can Live in this land with mutual understanding and tolerance.

   But Zaozhi's emotions were quickly disturbed by his wife...

  (end of this chapter)