Daming: Old Zhu, we agreed not to rush!

Chapter 408: The relationship between changes in military rations and economic focus

"Transportation method?"

Zhu Di frowned, not understanding.

Su Jing said calmly: "Yes, it is the mode of transportation. Manpower and animal power will no longer be the mainstream in future wars."

"The reason for everything is the development of technology and the emergence of new means of transportation, which makes transportation faster and more convenient, thus greatly improving the efficiency of transportation."

"If there is a car that does not need a horse and only needs to burn coal, do you think it is possible, King Yan?"

Su Jing spoke slowly, and Zhu Di fell into more and more shock.

"A car that doesn't need a horse, but only needs coal to drive?"

Zhu Di thought carefully about what Su Jing said, or perhaps imagined it.

But after all, he was just a Ming Dynasty person. He had never even seen a steam engine, so how could he imagine what a train looked like.

"The students don't know, but since Mr. Su said it, there must be something."

Zhu Di said truthfully to Su Jing.

The best answer to Su Jing's question is to answer whatever you know.

Su Jing smiled and said: "King Yan, what you say next can be regarded as a casual story I told, and you don't have to take it seriously."

That's all, Su Jing also said it. It was just nonsense anyway, and he didn't want to pay more attention to whether it was something from the Ming Dynasty.

"Students know."

Zhu Di nodded, but his expression was not casual at all, but very serious.

Su Jing glanced at Zhu Di, without caring what he was thinking, and said calmly: "A car that only needs to burn coal is called a train, but the train does not run on ordinary roads, but on railroad tracks. , it is a track paved with iron bars, which is not sunk under the road surface, but is raised above the ground.”

"I would say that the structure of the train is not very good, but the core component is the steam engine, which is a machine that can convert the energy generated by burning coal into the kinetic energy of the train."

"The speed of a train is about the same as that of a horse, and as long as it keeps burning coal, it can keep moving forward. At the same time, the load capacity is very large. I estimate that it can transport at least tens of thousands of stones of food at a time. Traveling hundreds of miles a day, being tireless should be considered. "

"With such means of transportation, the efficiency of logistical supplies and army transportation during war has been greatly improved. Of course, the main thing is transportation from the rear to the front. When the two armies are really facing each other, it mainly relies on the feet of the soldiers themselves. Procedure."

"After all, trains need rails to move forward. Only where the rails are laid can the train drive."

Zhu Di was dumbfounded by this. If a means of transportation like a train is true as Su Jing said, it will be a complete change for war.

Logistics supplies can be transported in this way, and frontline tactics can also make huge changes.

If the Ming Dynasty had trains, it would probably be easy to double its territory.

The young Zhu Di already had considerable ambitions. It is no wonder that after becoming the Yongle Emperor, he went on five personal expeditions, all the way to the Onan River.

Opening up borders and expanding territory is something that is engraved in Zhu Di's bones.

"Mr. Su, I wonder when will you invent this train?"

Zhu Di looked at Su Jing, his eyes full of desire.

Su Jing was stunned, shook her head and smiled: "King Yan, didn't I just say that you should treat what I said as a story and not take it seriously? You really think too highly of me for inventing the train."

Zhu Di said with an upright expression: "Student, I believe Mr. Su can do it. I just hope that he will not forget about the student. The train uses fire as a carriage. It is really amazing. It can travel hundreds of miles a day and tirelessly. With the train, the remnants of Beiyuan can still survive." Where can I escape to?"

"The King of Yan has very good thoughts."

Su Jing smiled and said: "But if I really want to build a train, I'm afraid I don't have the ability."

Zhu Di frowned and said, "Why? Is it difficult to build a train? Mr. Su is the man who built telescopes and improved so many firearms."

In Zhu Di's case, although Su Jing cannot be said to be omnipotent, she is not far behind.

"Hahaha."

Su Jing laughed and said: "King Yan, this is not a level of difficulty, and it is not something I can handle alone. The development of science and technology is the key, but any change in technology comes step by step. This There’s still a long way to go.”

"Why am I getting involved in this again? There is still a huge gap between the development of science and the security of food and grass."

Zhu Di listened to Su Jing's words carefully. He wanted to ask more, but when he heard Su Jing say this, he hid the question in his heart.

"Mr. Su, since trains can appear, will the food on the front line change?"

Zhu Di also shifted the problem to food and grass.

Su Jing looked at Zhu Di and replied: "There must be changes. Changes in food crops will naturally lead to changes in military rations."

"The earliest military ration should be corn. Around the Shang and Zhou dynasties, corn had already been planted, and the planting range was very wide. It was the staple food of the people during that period and was also used as military ration. At the same time, corn could also be used for war horses. From the Shang Dynasty to the Han Dynasty, corn was basically the king of military rations."

"As for the rations for war horses, there was a major change during the period of Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty. Does King Yan know what it is?"

Changes in rations for war horses?
Zhu Di was immediately confused by Su Jing's question. He hesitated and shook his head: "The students don't know."

Zhu Di likes to ride horses and has his own BMW, but he definitely doesn't need to do things like feeding and raising horses himself.

Of course, Zhu Di knew that the horses were fed fodder, but he had no idea what this had to do with the changes during the Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty.

Su Jing said: "It was Zhang Qian. Zhang Qian served as Emperor Wu of the Han Dynasty's mission to the Western Regions and opened up the famous Silk Road. He also brought many new crops from the Western Regions, including alfalfa, a very important alternative. Corn was used as forage for the war horses’ rations.”

"This also directly leads to the fact that all the subsequent corn can be used as rations for army soldiers, which greatly relieves the pressure on military rations and improves combat effectiveness."

Su Jing also saw this little knowledge by chance in her previous life.

Zhu Di was surprised and said: "That's it. I didn't expect that when Zhang Qian went to the Western Regions, he actually made such changes in the rations of the war horses. The students have really learned a lesson."

Zhu Di, who had never studied this knowledge before, was like a sponge, absorbing it crazily.

Su Jing said lightly: "After the Han Dynasty, the rations for horses changed, but the military ration was still corn. This situation continued until the early Tang Dynasty, and then there was the large-scale planting of two other food crops, rice and wheat."

"Soon, the dominance of corn was broken, and rice and wheat gradually replaced corn, not only for military rations, but also for ordinary people's rations."

"King Yan, do you know why there is such a change? What happened in the middle of the Tang Dynasty?"

As he talked, it turned to history, which could be regarded as Su Jing's exam.

This time Zhu Di did not answer that he didn't know, but said: "Tianbao Rebellion?"

Su Jing nodded and said: "Yes, it was the Tianbao Rebellion during the Tianbao period of Emperor Xuanzong of the Tang Dynasty, or the Anshi Rebellion." "Before the Anshi Rebellion, during the prosperous age of the Tang Dynasty, the main economic center of gravity was in the northern region. The area here is cold and the cultivation of rice and wheat It’s not very suitable, corn is the mainstream.”

"After the Anshi Rebellion, the Tang Dynasty began to decline, and wars continued in the north. The economic center of gravity was forced to move south, and a large number of people moved south. New land was reclaimed, and the scope of wheat cultivation increased rapidly from east to west and south. Rice cultivation New results have also been achieved.”

"In the middle and late Tang Dynasty, rice and wheat were rotated, with one season of rice and one season of wheat. Grain crops matured twice a year, which greatly increased the total grain output. There was even a double-cropping of rice in the Jiangnan area. At the same time, the invention of the Quyuan plow increased grain output. It’s getting faster and faster.”

"The production of rice and wheat has increased, and the corresponding acceptance has also increased. People have used their own wisdom to develop more cooking methods. Naturally, rice and wheat have entered the range of military food choices."

"This is how military rations have changed."

Su Jing talked a lot in one breath. She felt that the footbath water in the footbath was cold, so she stood up and stood in the footbath, picked up the water ladle on the side, took a ladle of hot water from the pot and added it.

"King Yan, your water must be cold too. Let me add some hot water to your feet."

Su Jing took another ladle of hot water and asked Zhu Di to lift his feet.

"Uh...oh, thank you Mr. Su."

Zhu Di was stunned for a moment, then immediately raised his feet when he realized what was happening.

"Huh...comfortable!"

After adding hot water, Su Jing let out a breath.

Zhu Di looked at Su Jing and said: "Mr. Su, the students benefited a lot from hearing about the changes in military rations. But what Mr. Su said seems to be the changes in military rations from the past to the present. The appearance of this train must be in the future. Military rations How will it change?"

Although he had heard a lot, what Zhu Di wanted to know more was what the military rations would be like in the future.

When it comes to war, the more advanced the better, we can't always look past it.

Su Jing patted her head and said: "My, my, my, I didn't notice for a moment that King Yan, you were asking about the changes in military rations."

"But in fact, from the previous changes, we should be able to see some traces. Military ration is actually the main food crop. Because military ration consumes a lot of money, if it is some food with low yield, it will definitely not work."

"The current staple food status of rice and wheat should not be shaken. Oh, that's not right. The Ming Dynasty also grows potatoes and sweet potatoes. It doesn't mean that it can't be used as military food."

"However, the general military rations should not change much. If we have to say a change, it may be military rations and supplementary foods."

"King Yan, in addition to the staple food, what supplementary food does the Ming army have?"

Supplementary food for the Ming army?
Zhu Di was asked again by Su Jing. He had never been to a military camp. He had studied various military formations and tactics before, so naturally he did not understand what ordinary soldiers in the army eat.

"Students don't know."

Zhu Di lowered his head, a little ashamed on his face.

It was okay if he didn't know about other things, but he didn't know about things in the army. He felt that he had just learned blindly before.

"King Yan, you don't have to be like this. You should know it when you lead the army in the future."

Su Jing comforted her and continued: "The military food supplements I know include meat sauce, but the meat sauce requires a lot of salt and is very precious. Ordinary soldiers can't afford it. At the same time, the meat sauce is also prone to spoilage over time. It will stink, and some soldiers will bring their own bacon, pickles, etc. The Ming army is probably the same."

"I have to say here that salt is very important for the human body. Especially after sweating a lot during exercise, salt must be replenished in time. I don't know if there are pickles in the Ming Dynasty's military supplementary food. If not, I have to find a way to add it. It can greatly improve the combat effectiveness of soldiers."

Although many people suffered from various diseases due to eating too much salt in their previous lives, Su Jing knew that during the Ming Dynasty, salt was still relatively precious.

At the same time, salt is also a national economic industry and has always been government-run. The salt industry has a strict confidentiality system.

Zhu Di nodded seriously and said, "Student, remember."

Su Jing continued: "But if there is a train, fresh meat and vegetables can be transported to the front line quickly and in large quantities."

As long as the speed is fast enough, fresh meat and vegetables do not have to worry about the end of spoilage and erosion.

"Mr. Su is saying that if there are trains, it will be easier to transport food. The soldiers on the front line can eat better, and their combat effectiveness will definitely be greatly increased."

Zhu Di deeply agreed, and now his mind was full of trains.

If this thing exists, Ming's military strength will inevitably be greatly improved.

As for the role that trains can play in people's livelihood, Zhu Di has never thought about it at all.

There is no way, Zhu Di has a war brain.

"It's almost done. I'll get edema if I soak my feet again."

Su Jing lifted her feet out of the footbath, dried her feet and handed the cloth to Zhu Di.

Regarding the footcloth used by Su Jing, Zhu Di took it with a normal expression, and there was nothing strange about it.

"Thank you Mr. Su."

After Zhu Di finished wiping, he quickly took out two basins of foot-washing water and poured them out.

The two came to the courtyard, and through the moonlight, Su Jing glanced at the wooden shelves in the courtyard.

"King Yan, I don't think I can build this train, but I can build a bicycle. Unfortunately, three days may not be enough."

Su Jing sighed slightly.

Zhu Di asked curiously: "Mr. Su, what is this bicycle?"

Su Jing replied: "It is a kind of car that does not require animal power and relies entirely on two feet. On a flat road, it takes less effort and is much faster than walking."

"Is there such a car? The students are really curious."

Zhu Di's interest was aroused again.

Su Jing smiled and said: "I only started working on it recently. It still needs some time. I estimate it will take at least ten days and a half to get a rough idea. I don't know if it can be used."

"What Mr. Su makes will definitely work."

Zhu Di said very firmly that he didn't even know what a bicycle was, but he just trusted it.

"Haha, let me borrow your good words from King Yan."

Su Jing said with a smile: "If it is really made by then, I will definitely ask King Yan to try it. The bicycle is quite fun. Although it is not as fast as riding a horse, it does not require feeding, and the size is smaller, making it much easier to carry. "

When Zhu Di heard this, he immediately said: "Student, I would like to thank Mr. Su in advance!"

(End of this chapter)