Chapter 7: Planning

The harvest of potatoes and sweet potatoes is measured in tons, often yielding several thousand jin per mu. Even corn has a yield that surpasses that of other grains, such as wheat, and all three crops do not require fertile land; they can be cultivated in mountainous and dry areas where rice and wheat cannot be grown. Furthermore, they can improve the soil quality, transforming large areas of previously uncultivable land into arable land suitable for wheat and rice cultivation

Prioritizing agriculture is a decision made by Huang Laifu after careful consideration

Wuzhai County is a major agricultural and livestock-rearing county, with primary grain crops including potatoes, hulless barley, corn, millet, and various legumes. Notably, potatoes have a stable planting area of over 200,000 mu each year, accounting for one-third of the total arable land.

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The total land area of the county is 2,087,000 acres, of which the arable land area is 600,000 acres, accounting for 28.7% of the total land area; the area suitable for forestry is 747,000 acres, accounting for 36% of the total area; and the area suitable for grazing is 500,000 acres, accounting for 24% of the total area. The county has a wide distribution of limestone, granite, and clay, with large reserves and promising development prospects

It is generally believed that the Agricultural Revolution in Britain led to the Industrial Revolution. At that time, the significant demand for food due to the population growth in Britain and Europe resulted in both private and national enclosure movements in Britain. The operation of large rental farms gained absolute dominance in the rural areas of Britain. This mode of operation greatly promoted the development of British agriculture, ushering in the golden age of agriculture in Britain

Prolonged and high-density disasters are a fatal blow to an empire with a large population. Zheng Lian, a native of Shangqiu, Henan, during the late Ming Dynasty, compiled a detailed statistical table of the disasters that struck the entire province of Henan during the reign of Chongzhen in his work "Records of the Changes in Henan," which is shocking to behold after reading.

To be honest, these days of worry have been endured by Emperor Wanli for many years. Since the early years of Wanli, the heavens have clearly been increasingly problematic, with either floods in the south or droughts in the north

On the other hand, during the late Ming Dynasty, the economic focus of the entire nation had shifted towards industry and commerce. At this time, the civil official class had colluded with merchants, to the extent that, in certain respects, the civil officials acted as representatives of the merchants. They divided a substantial amount of commercial trade profits among themselves. If the court and the emperor sought to increase the national fiscal revenue through commercial means, they would face fierce obstruction from the civil official class.

The depletion of the national finances due to the border towns' grain supplies reached an extreme level. By the end of the Wanli period, especially after the crisis in Liaodong, the national finances were essentially beyond recovery, leading to the failure in the war against the Later Jin.

These literati officials often feel a disconnect regarding the development or decline of the grassroots economy, finding themselves in the dark and unsure of how to proceed. Furthermore, they are ill-equipped to face the various complexities of a commercial society. Naturally, the country's tax revenue and budget cannot be adjusted accordingly. Many officials in the Ming Dynasty were completely unaware of the changes in social commercial wealth and had no concept of increasing taxes in the commercial sector, instead fixating on the plight of the poor farmers.

On one hand, the foundation of the Ming Dynasty was a society primarily composed of small and medium landowners and self-sufficient farmers. In terms of fiscal revenue, it has always referenced a simple smallholder society. The various systems established based on this smallholder society, including the fiscal system, are difficult to adapt to the changes brought about by social development, and officials generally lack the ability to respond to various environmental changes

In response to such a severe famine, Emperor Wanli had no choice but to devote himself to disaster relief, remaining busy until the end of the year before finally letting out a sigh of relief

Due to the worsening disaster year after year, coupled with ongoing wars, by the 30th year of the Wanli reign, the granaries were nearly depleted, the grain supply in the capital was exhausted, and the Taicang had no provisions to last through the year. Never before in history has there been such a severe shortage of public and private resources as today. In the 36th year of Wanli, the official Wang Ruolin was ordered to inspect the reserves and discovered that the treasury held only 80,000 taels of silver, with the external treasury completely empty, while the military salaries owed had already reached over 1 million taels. From the 38th year of Wanli to the 7th year of the Tianqi reign, the military salaries owed to various border garrisons exceeded 9.6 million taels.

Agricultural instability leads to a lack of food for the populace; thus, even the most prosperous commerce is akin to a rootless floating weed, easily toppled by the wind. Therefore, in the face of the extremely low agricultural productivity in ancient times, coupled with frequent disasters and underdeveloped transportation, China's millennia-long policy of "prioritizing agriculture over commerce" is not without reason

In the coming decades, the Great Ming Dynasty will fall into a Little Ice Age, with frequent disasters and a severe shortage of grain production. The prospects for agricultural management can be said to be very bright in the coming decades, with no worries about the market. If, at that time, I can resolve the food issues of the military households in Wuzhaibao, and then use this as a starting point to address or alleviate the grain shortage in the Great Ming Dynasty, it will result in both fame and fortune.

Moreover, Huang Laifu believes that during times of agricultural instability, vigorously developing commerce will not yield favorable results; in this regard, the Ming Dynasty has already learned profound lessons.

This point is clearly manifested in Emperor Chongzhen, who, influenced by the bureaucratic elite, vigorously reduced and exempted commercial taxes, thereby shifting the majority of the national tax burden onto the common people. This led to the rich becoming richer while the poor had no chance of survival. Although he gained certain titles as a cultured and enlightened ruler, it further exacerbated social contradictions and accelerated the pace of the nation's demise

At this moment, he opened the national satellite map data and the historical map data of Wuzhaibao from the Ming Dynasty. It was then that he discovered that Wuzhaibao is actually Wuzhai County in modern-day Xinzhou City, Shanxi Province. Its geographical location is in the northwestern part of Shanxi Province, bordered to the east by Shenchi County, to the west by Kewan County, to the south by Ningwu County, and to the northwest by Pianguan County and Hequ County. The total area is approximately 1391.3 square kilometers. It was then that he discovered that Wuzhaibao is actually Wuzhai County in modern-day Xinzhou City, Shanxi Province. Its geographical location is in the northwestern part of Shanxi Province, bordered to the east by Shenchi County, to the west by Kewan County, to the south by Ningwu County, and to the northwest by Pianguan County and Hequ County. The total area is approximately 1391.3 square kilometers

Resist their obstruction, such as the Wanli Emperor, who imposed additional taxes on three occasions, opened mines, and increased commercial taxes. He was harshly criticized by the civil officials, wealthy merchants, and later by the treacherous Tatar collaborators.

At this moment, Huang Laifu was still filled with excitement. He greeted Huang Sihao and Yang before returning to his room. His oversized outer garment and the computer bag wrapped around his waist made it difficult for anyone to recognize him. Once he entered his room, he placed the computer bag in the wooden box by the kang, calmed his excited emotions, and then went to the hall to have a meal

To be frank, Huang Laifu does not support the three taxes and additional levies, as this would further burden the farmers, who are already heavily burdened. However, he is in favor of mining tax and increased commercial tax.

Merchants and scholars held 90% of the nation's wealth at that time, so what if they paid some taxes? They are all citizens of the state. Do merchants and officials have no obligation to pay taxes, insisting that the burden must fall entirely on the farmers? Although the imposition of mining taxes caused some harm to merchants, it is better to choose the lesser of two evils! Letting merchants weep is far better than letting farmers weep. When merchants complain, the state experiences only minor disturbances; when farmers complain and rebel, the state faces the risk of destruction. Although the imposition of mining taxes caused some harm to merchants, it is better to choose the lesser of two evils! Letting merchants weep is far better than letting farmers weep. When merchants complain, the state experiences only minor disturbances; when farmers complain and rebel, the state faces the risk of destruction.

In the golden autumn of October, the fragrance of ripe fruits fills the air. On October 29, reporters learned from relevant departments in Wuzhai County that the autumn harvest work in Wuzhai County is about to achieve success, marking the fourth consecutive year of bumper grain production. It is expected that the total grain output this year will reach 220 million jin, an increase of 51 million jin compared to last year, representing a year-on-year growth of 30.4%, setting a historical record.

When agriculture is unstable and grain production is insufficient, the prosperity of commercial trade can lead to another issue. For instance, the grain production center of the Ming Dynasty, the people in the Jiangnan region, seeing the benefits of commerce, felt that growing grain was not profitable, and thus converted large tracts of farmland to the cultivation of cash crops, further exacerbating the decline in grain production. This is known as the controversy of rice versus mulberry.

Although potatoes and sweet potatoes may not appear impressive, they are indeed valuable crops. During the Ming Dynasty, even in favorable weather conditions, the annual grain yield per mu was only about 300 to 400 jin, and this was considered good land. In years of disaster, it was not uncommon to suffer total crop failure.

Ultimately, the advancement of British agriculture accelerated the prosperous development of British commerce, with both mutually integrating and promoting each other. When development reached a certain level and productivity could no longer meet market demands, it naturally became necessary to improve relevant technologies, thus marking the beginning of the machine-centered Industrial Revolution

The extreme cold caused the rain-bearing regions to shift southward, leading to nearly annual disasters across various parts of the Ming Dynasty. Initially affecting the Jin region, it subsequently spread to the He-Luo area, followed by Qi, Lu, Wu-Yue, Jing-Chu, and the Three Fuz, resulting in a nationwide drought. At the same time, a plague began to spread, with a significant outbreak of rat plague occurring in Shanxi, which eventually reached the capital region during the late Ming Dynasty, directly contributing to the ease with which Beijing was captured.

The屯田 system could not achieve self-sufficiency, necessitating the Qing government to provide military salaries and grain. Coupled with prolonged internal and external turmoil, this led to a sharp increase in military expenditures. During the reign of Emperor Yingzong, the annual military salary for border troops was only several tens of thousands of taels, but by the early Wanli period, military expenses had soared to over 8 million taels. In the 20th year of Wanli, the military expenditure for the three major campaigns in Ningxia, Korea, and Bozhou reached 14.6 million taels. From the 46th year of Wanli to the 7th year of Tianqi, the military expenses for operations against the Later Jin over a span of 10 years amounted to over 60 million taels. In the 20th year of Wanli, the military expenditure for the three major campaigns in Ningxia, Korea, and Bozhou reached 14.6 million taels. From the 46th year of Wanli to the 7th year of Tianqi, the military expenses for operations against the Later Jin over a span of 10 years amounted to over 60 million taels

Huang Laifu's gaze lingered on a report from the future Wuzhai County. Gradually, he made a decision: to prioritize agricultural development in Wuzhaibao, as the future Wuzhai County is also a major agricultural county.

That evening, he also devised a grand plan for future development

For several decades, the northern regions of the Ming Dynasty were trapped in a mini ice age, leading to a severe shortage of grain. Coupled with the annual decline in grain production in the south, this resulted in an even greater scarcity of food in the Ming Dynasty. The prices of grain soared, which in turn drove up the prices of all goods, creating a vicious cycle that exacerbated social conflicts

Although these grains may be somewhat lacking in flavor, during a great disaster when one is starving to death, who cares whether the taste of food is good or bad? It is certainly better than the taste of tree bark, grass roots, or the soil of Guanyin. Moreover, in terms of nutrition, both potatoes and sweet potatoes contain a large amount of starch and various vitamins, which are not inferior to grains and wheat

Huang Laifu examined the situation of Wuzhai County in later generations, attempting to find some inspiration for his own development. He found some relevant introductory materials next to a map of Wuzhai County.

Although Huang Laifu's computer contains a wealth of modern industrial and technological information, considering his current capabilities and the environment at that time, he decided to prioritize agricultural development. This was the most feasible option given his present conditions, as Wuzhaibao was primarily focused on farming. Industrial and commercial development is certainly important, but it will be addressed once the military personnel in Wuzhaibao are well-fed and financially secure.

"A Brief Chronicle of the Changes in Henan" also includes the full text of the memorial submitted to the court by Lü Weiqi. Lü had previously served as the Minister of War and, after retiring to his home, witnessed the severe disaster in Henan, which left him unable to remain silent. The memorial was written in the seventh year of the Chongzhen reign, with every word steeped in blood, making it unbearable to read to the end

The influx of such a large amount of silver inevitably led to inflation, causing prices of various goods to soar, with food prices rising even more dramatically. This exacerbated the divide between the rich and the poor, resulting in numerous problems

After hastily eating a little, Huang Laifu returned to his room. Yang said from behind, "What is wrong with this child? Why does he have no appetite in the evening?"

Huang Laifu's gaze lingered on the computer. Historically, the Ming Dynasty, which created a brilliant civilization but also endured immense suffering, did not survive the year 1644. Although the disasters gradually eased a few years later and normalcy was eventually restored, high-yield crops such as potatoes and sweet potatoes were quickly promoted. Could his arrival change the fate of the Ming Dynasty

This is my own development base, a small county, covering just over 1,000 square kilometers, with a population of less than 6,000. What should I do?

The harsh and recurring climate left the northern military and civilians of the Ming Dynasty at a loss, wondering what was happening with the heavens. However, Huang Laifu knew that such tragic days would continue in the future, and for decades on end, becoming increasingly severe as time went on

In the 3rd year of Chongzhen, there was a drought. In the 4th year, there was a drought. In the 5th year, there was a great drought. In the 6th year, there was a major flood in Zhengzhou, and the Yellow River froze solid as stone. In the 7th year, there was summer drought and locusts. In the 8th year, there was summer drought and locusts, and the Yellow River in Huaqing froze. In the 9th year, there was summer drought and locusts, and in autumn, there were major floods in Kaifeng and Shangqiu. In the 10th year, there was a great locust plague in summer, and in the intercalary fourth month, there was heavy snow in Shanxi. In the 11th year, there was a great drought and locusts, with barren land stretching for a thousand miles. In the 12th year, there was a great drought and locusts, and the Qinshi River ran dry. In the 13th year, there was a great drought and locusts, the ground in Shangcai cracked, Luoyang experienced an earthquake, rice was a thousand coins per斗, and people resorted to cannibalism. In the 11th year, there was a great drought and locusts, with barren land stretching for a thousand miles. In the 12th year, there was a great drought and locusts, and the Qinshi River ran dry. In the 13th year, there was a great drought and locusts, the ground in Shangcai cracked, Luoyang experienced an earthquake, rice was a thousand coins per斗, and people resorted to cannibalism. In the 14th year, a great famine and plague began in February, with summer locusts, and the flying locusts devoured wheat as if it were being cut. In the 15th year, there was an earthquake in Huaqing, and in September, the Yellow River broke its banks in Kaifeng.

The main rivers include Zhujiacang River, Xianchuan River, Lanyi River, Qinglian River, and Lujiao River, which are part of Fushui County in northwestern Shanxi Province

In the end, Emperor Chongzhen met his demise with the fall of the dynasty, while those civil officials and wealthy merchants who forgot the greater righteousness for personal gain did not fare any better. They either died at the hands of bandits like Li Zicheng or fell victim to the swords of the Hu people, or they ended up as mere servants and subservient subjects. The wealth they had painstakingly accumulated, ranging from tens of thousands to hundreds of thousands, even millions of taels of silver, became the property of others or turned to dust. The saying "Without the skin, where will the hair attach?" illustrates this principle.

Huang Laifu closed the door tightly, lit the oil lamp, and leaned against the kang while browsing the computer. Although he retained memories of Huang Laifu's past, he was still unclear about the specific location of Wuzhaibao in later generations

Wuzhai County has a terrain that is high in the southeast and low in the northwest. The central part features a "D" shaped plain extending from south to north, covering an area of approximately 164 square kilometers

Upon seeing the potato, Huang Laifu regretfully shook his head. According to the information he knew and had researched, the potato, colloquially known as the "earth bean," and the sweet potato, informally referred to as "red bean" or "di guo," were introduced to Guangdong and Fujian from Luzon after the twenty-second year of the Wanli reign of the Ming Dynasty, specifically in 1594. The first individuals to bring them were Chen Fulong, Lin Huailan, and Chen Jinglun. It was only after the fall of the Ming Dynasty that they began to spread to Shanxi.

Regret remains regret, and sighs remain sighs; high-yield crops such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, and corn will not fall from the sky. Even if one were to go to Guangdong, Fujian, and other places to search for these crops, who knows where they are located

Regarding the overarching situation, the military households of Wuzhaibao do not comprehend it; they only know that due to natural disasters, the farmland associated with Wuzhaibao has not yielded any significant harvest for several years. Their current existence relies solely on the meager monthly rations provided by the higher authorities each year, and they are uncertain when such a life will come to an end. What Huang Laifu observed in the military households of Wuzhaibao was merely a microcosm of the lives of the military households in the Jiubian military garrisons at that time. Their current existence relies solely on the meager monthly rations provided by the higher authorities each year, and they are uncertain when such a life will come to an end. What Huang Laifu observed in the military households of Wuzhaibao was merely a microcosm of the lives of the military households in the Jiubian military garrisons at that time.

In later generations, Wuzhai County had a population of around 100,000. At that time, Wuzhai Fort, including the regular troops and the families of various military households, had only a few thousand people. During this period, Wuzhai Fort, as well as Piantou Pass, Hequ, Shenchi, and Ningwu Forts, had not yet established counties.

In the vast sea of people and the expansive land, searching for certain crops is akin to finding a needle in a haystack. Once found, it is uncertain which year it was. In this day and age, traveling from Shanxi to Guangdong and back again, seeking out crops that are seldom seen even by the locals, how many years would it take? Two years, three years, or five years?

This is a typical case of instability without agriculture

The Agricultural Revolution in Britain created the necessary preconditions for the Industrial Revolution. It not only provided the essential food and raw materials for the Industrial Revolution, but also cultivated a large army of free labor and a vast domestic market, while accumulating substantial capital for the Industrial Revolution

This year is the 17th year of the Wanli era. Fortunately, it is merely a matter of unusual weather. In summer, Beijing is experiencing a lack of rain, and during May and June, there is an outbreak of epidemics, with drought conditions extending to Shandong. However, in southern Zhili, there is an issue of flooding due to excessive rainfall. After entering autumn, Shanxi has also experienced earthquakes, but overall, the situation remains relatively calm.

Therefore, before the agricultural instability, food shortages, and the unreasonable national financial system, the more prosperous the commerce, the greater the potential negative effects it may bring

Moreover, there is one more point: the flourishing commerce at the end of the Ming Dynasty and the substantial influx of silver did not bring any benefits to the national finances. The state’s finances remained tight. This trade surplus was primarily divided among the wealthy merchants and literati officials. The common people and the government, on the other hand, became victims of inflation.

This is the historically renowned "Little Ice Age," which occurred twice in Chinese history: once during the period of the Five Barbarians' chaos and once during the late Ming Dynasty. Notably, from 1580 to 1644, the temperature suddenly dropped to the lowest point in a millennium.

For the common people in the north and the soldiers in the key border towns, the weather in recent years has been rather strange, either extreme cold or severe drought, as if the heavens have never taken a break

The consequences of various frequent disasters are that not only are the people in the north facing severe food and clothing shortages, but the issues concerning the military and civilians in the nine border regions are also very serious. The Ming Dynasty's military implemented the屯田 system, concentrating its heavy forces in the key border towns, all of which are located in the north. These border towns experience frequent and prolonged droughts, leading to a sharp decline in the harvests from the屯田, and in some years, there are even total crop failures.

However, last year, specifically in the 16th year of the Wanli era, a severe drought occurred in Shaanxi and Shanxi. In the spring of that year, during the season for the maturation of beans and wheat, there was a prolonged period of drought with no rain, compounded by fierce winds. The crops were left unharvested, and those that were harvested yielded only 20 to 30 percent of the normal amount. From June to August, the drought continued with no rain, causing the autumn seedlings to wither under the scorching sun and strong winds, resulting in a complete failure of the autumn harvest

In the later period of the Ming Dynasty, even with the resurgence of commerce, it could not save society from the collapse brought about by the failure of agriculture, but rather added numerous unstable factors, akin to pouring oil on the flames.

The signs of the disaster can be traced back to the early years of the Jiajing period, becoming evident in the thirteenth year of the Wanli era (1585), though fluctuating intermittently. It began to intensify suddenly around the year 1600, reaching its peak during the Chongzhen reign. The overall warming of temperatures did not return to normal until around 1650, after the fall of the Ming dynasty.

If high-yield crops such as potatoes, sweet potatoes, and corn had been introduced to Shanxi and Shaanxi several decades earlier, the local people would have had food to eat, and perhaps there would not have been uprisings by bandits like Li Zicheng.

Looking at the world, this is also the case. A typical example is England during the 17th and 18th centuries.

The disaster area spans parts of the three prefectures of Xi'an, Yan'an, and Qingyang, as well as the two prefectures of Fengxiang and Gongchang. Farmers in various regions are in a state of panic, carrying the elderly and young, fleeing to different places to beg for a living

The prospects are bright and promising; however, distant water cannot quench immediate thirst. The most pressing issue at hand is to first resolve the food problem for the military households in Wuzhaibao.

When Huang Laifu returned to Wuzhaibao with Jiang Dazhong and Yang Xiaolu, it was already dark, and at that moment, his family was waiting for him to have dinner.

During the late Ming Dynasty, commerce was extremely prosperous, particularly during the reigns of Wanli, Tianqi, and Chongzhen. The scale of overseas trade was immense, resulting in a substantial influx of silver into China. According to incomplete statistics, the amount of silver flowing into China from overseas during the late Ming period exceeded 500 million taels.

The development history of modern Britain is a relatively successful chapter in history. Huang Laifu hopes to draw useful insights for himself and his country from the successful development histories of other nations. That evening, he kept reviewing relevant materials until the computer ran low on power, and only then did he reluctantly go to sleep

Nevertheless, regardless of the circumstances, Huang Laifu has decided to promptly dispatch capable subordinates to Guangdong, Fujian, and other regions to search for these high-yield crops. If they cannot be found in Guangdong or Fujian, they will extend their search as far as Luzon. The sooner they find them, the sooner it will be a blessing for himself and, even more so, for the people of the Ming Dynasty

Conversely, if agriculture develops and food becomes abundant, the diverse needs of the people will naturally lead to the development of industry and commerce. At this point, the flourishing of commerce will be unstoppable, even if one wishes to restrain it. Moreover, commerce at this time will be well integrated with agriculture, further promoting the development of society