Late Tang Dynasty: I

Chapter 205 Datang's Grain Defense War
Shannan Dongdao and Jingnan, which is now a part of Hubei, had a saying in the Qing Dynasty that Huguangshu and Tianxiazu were enough.

The so-called Huguang is not Hunan and Guangdong, but the current Hunan and Hubei regions.

Surrounding the rich water system of Dongting Lake, the Yangtze River, Han River and dense river networks are distributed. The terrain here is gentle. At the confluence of the Yangtze River and Han River, there is a plain of ten thousand hectares, which was later called Jianghan Plain.

Here are all fertile fields!

However, at this time, agriculture in the two lakes was far from developed in later generations, for two reasons.

First, due to the terrain, the Jianghan Plain is at a low altitude, and the dense river network brings not only a lot of fertile land, but also floods. Floods often come every three to five years, and most people do not want to live and plant for a long time.

The second reason is the rice seeds. In the Tang Dynasty, all the rice seeds were grown late, and the rice seeds at this time were particularly difficult to serve. It was laborious to transplant seedlings and seedlings, and they were also prone to diseases and insect pests.

Zhao Dezhen said: "Your Majesty, the disease of this withered seedling is very serious. If one seedling gets sick, if it is not dealt with, after three to five days, a hundred mu will be harmed. By this time, there will often be no harvest?"

Li Ye frowned slightly. To make Shannan Dongdao and Jingnan the Tang's granary, there was still a lot to do.

"Have you tried changing the rice seeds?"

"I sent people to Suzhou and Changzhou in the west of Zhejiang Province to buy rice seeds, but I haven't had time to plant them yet!"

Li Ye nodded, Zhao Dezhen had a heart, a warlord, not many people still pay attention to farming.

"Have you tried planting two seasons a year?"

Zhao Dezhen frowned and said: "Your Majesty does not know, this rice is particularly sensitive to the weather, if it is later or earlier, the yield will be greatly affected!"

Li Ye didn't say a word, it was because of the rice seeds. Datang's rice is late rice, which needs to be matched with early rice, so it can be planted twice a year.

It is precisely because of the two seasons in a year that the production of the two lakes has been greatly increased, which has become the world's granary.

However, there were no early rice varieties in the Tang Dynasty. Others did not know about it. The emperor naturally knew very well that the Champa Kingdom in the south of the Lingnan was rich in rice, and Champa Rice was cultivated by people here.

Of course, it wasn’t intentional cultivation. Champa people have a characteristic, that is, they are lazy, and they are born to grow rice. After the seeds are sown, they are left alone. Unlike Tang people who plant rice, they need to transplant seedlings and seedlings, and take good care of them.

It is very simple for the Champa people to plant rice, just sprinkle the rice seeds on the ground and leave it alone.

If it falls on dry land, it will be the same in watery land, and no one will water and drain it.

It is strange to say that the carefully cared for Tang Dynasty rice is getting more and more delicate, and it is easy to get sick and die.

Champa rice, which is naturally cultivated, has become rougher and thicker, and is more resistant to tossing. This kind of rice not only has a good yield, but also is resistant to drought, waterlogging, and disease-free.

Another amazing thing is that the growth period of Champa rice is extremely short, only three months, and the temperature is a little higher when it is sown, and the rest of the time is not sensitive to temperature.

Cooperating with the late rice of the Tang Dynasty, it can be planted twice a year, and even three seasons a year in places with higher temperatures in Lingnan.

Significant.

But the emperor asked the surrounding people, but no one knew where Champa was.

Li Ye said to Li Yun: "Go to Chang'an quickly and call Prime Minister Zhang Jun to Caizhou.

In addition, I went to the Jingge to move the annan geography of the Tang Dynasty, and traveled day and night, at full speed! "

"promise!"

"Also, summon Prime Minister Niu Hui to Caizhou!"

"promise!"

Three days later, several horses ran to death and moved to Datang Annan Geography.

Li Ye opened the search with apprehension.

"...Three days from the southwest of Huanzhou, Duwu Wenling, another two days to Sunset County, Tangzhou, and then Luolun River and Shimi Mountain in Gulang Cave, and three days to Wenyang County, Tangzhou. After passing through the Qijiao Stream, it took four days to travel to Suantai County in Wendan State.

Another three days traveled to the outer city of Wendan, and another day to the inner city, one called Lu Chenla, and the south of it was Shui Chenla.And south to Xiaohai, Luoyue Kingdom in the south, its capital "Zhancheng", and then south to the sea. "

"I found it, it's Nanluoyue Kingdom, Champa of Nanluoyue Kingdom!"

Li Ye smiled brightly.

Zhao Xi has been by the emperor's side for a long time, the emperor has always been steady, never seen the emperor lose his composure like this.

"Your Majesty, the Southern Luoyue Kingdom is just a small barbarian country. Does it have any treasures that the Tang Dynasty does not have?"

Li Ye laughed and said, "No baby in the sky can compare to it. God bless Tang, God bless Tang!"

"Where is the southernmost feudal town in the Tang Dynasty?"

Du Rangneng said: "Return to Your Majesty, the southernmost vassal town of the Tang Dynasty is the Jiedu of the Jinghai Navy, and the envoy of the Jiedu is Zeng Gun."

"Who is this Zeng Gun?"

I'm afraid that the generals will be in chaos again, and he should make himself a commander in chief. His Majesty the Emperor is very worried.

"Your Majesty, Zeng Gun, a person from Qianshan County, Shuzhou, was originally a Duzhi under Gao Pian. In the first year of Zhonghe, Gao Xun, the envoy of the Jinghai Festival, was transferred to Zhaoyi to serve as the envoy of the Jiedu. , It has been seven or eight years now."

"Do you still accept the imperial edict?"

Du Rangneng said: "Your Majesty, although Jinghai is barren, taxes are paid every year in summer and autumn. Zeng Gun is quite well-known in literature. He wrote "Jiaozhou Zhi" and "Ping Nanzhao". From the capital."

Li Ye said, "Why didn't the trip take place?"

Du Rangneng said: "In May of the third year of Zhonghe, Nanzhao attacked Jiaozhou, and Aizhou and Yanzhou fell. The imperial court originally wanted to demote him to Yazhou, but did not do so during the Huangchao Rebellion."

"How is his administration?"

Du Rangneng said: "Jiaozhou is far away from the center. I don't know how he manages the government. But I heard that when Zeng Gun was in charge of Huainan Jieduzhi, there was never a shortage of food and grass in the army. Wherever the army went, food and grass were always there. well prepared."

"It's not easy in the army compared to governing the place, but it's a dry official."

Du Rangneng carefully advised: "Your Majesty, although Nanluoyue Kingdom is a barbaric and small country, even if there are treasures, if they are taken by force, it will damage the majesty of the Tang Dynasty and the reputation of Your Majesty."

Li Ye laughed and said, "What does Duke Du think is a treasure?"

Du Rangneng frowned and said: "Nanyue once offered seven-foot-high corals and several plates of South Sea pearls, but these?"

"Du Gong sees that I love those jewels and belongings?"

Du Rang Neng shook his head and said: "I really can't guess, your Majesty, please speak clearly?"

Lao Du is really worried, Datang is now in sight of ZTE, if the emperor is angry and raises troops to South Vietnam at this juncture, the variables will be unpredictable.

Li Ye was complacent and said, "Rice seeds!"

"Rice seeds?"

Du Rangneng wondered, what kind of treasure are rice seeds?
"This kind of rice does not choose the place, the time, does not get sick, and has a high yield. If it is introduced to Shannan, it can be harvested twice a year. It can also be mixed with the rice of Datang. The mixed rice is also not easy to get sick."

Du Rangneng's eyes lit up.

"Huainan and West Zhejiang can also be farmed?"

Li Ye nodded and said: "It's not just Huainan, the paddy fields in Chang'an can also be cultivated, and even Youzhou in the north can be cultivated!"

The rice grown in the black soil of Northeast China is very delicious, but in Youzhou, it can only be grown once a year.

"Your Majesty really?"

Du Rang has been in power for many years. The significance of this is obvious at a glance. The yield of rice is generally much higher than that of millet and wheat. If paddy fields in the north can also be planted with rice, the shortage of food in the Tang Dynasty can be eliminated in one fell swoop. Change.

In the south, two seasons are planted a year, and the same field can double the grain. What could be more gratifying than this kind of thing?

"Your Majesty, I am willing to go to Nanluoyue Kingdom to fetch rice seeds for Your Majesty!"

Li Ye shook his head and said, "Aiqing is old, it's not suitable to travel far, besides, Aiqing is heavily relied on in many political affairs."

"I have already asked Zhang Jun to come to Caizhou. When the time comes, let Zhang Jun replace Zeng Gun and go to Jiaozhou as the envoy of Jinghai. As for Zeng Gun, let's transfer back to the capital first."

(End of this chapter)