Zhang Hulan did not leave. Emperor Yongxing saw that Zhang Hulan seemed to have something to say, so he asked, "Do you have anything else to say?"
Zhang Hulan said: "Your Majesty, I have an idea about rice planting, which may increase rice production.
But my ability is limited and I cannot cultivate it, so I would like to ask Your Majesty if I can tell the officials in charge of agriculture or professional technicians in the court about my idea and ask them to cultivate it for trial."
Emperor Yongxing became interested. "Idea for increasing rice production? What kind of idea is that?"
The fertilizer cultivation method you provided earlier is quite good. If the soil is fertile, the grain production will increase significantly."
Zhang Hulan replied: "Your Majesty, this time we are not cultivating fertilizers, but seeds."
"Cultivate seeds?" Emperor Yongxing said, "I know that the people will select the crops that grow well in the fields every year and save them as seeds. How do you cultivate seeds?"
Zhang Hulan said: "My idea is to cultivate different varieties of rice. For example, some rice has high yield but is not drought-resistant, while some rice is drought-resistant but has low yield.
Some rice grains are full but the grains are relatively few; while some rice grains are large and the rice ears are long but the grains are not full.
For example, for these rice varieties, we should try to cultivate these two types of rice together to see if we can combine their advantages.
If it can be cultivated, the common people will be able to harvest a lot more grain per mu of land. The court will also be able to collect a lot more tax revenue.”
Emperor Yongxing's eyes lit up. "Wait a moment, I'll call a few people over."
Emperor Yongxing immediately ordered the eunuchs, "Go and call Prime Minister Qin and Minister Wu."
Emperor Yongxing looked at Ye Hongyun and Concubine Ye, then said, "Forget it, let them go to the Imperial Study."
Emperor Yongxing then said to Concubine Ye, "You sisters can chat while I take Zhang Hulan to the Imperial Study to discuss business."
Concubine Ye and Ye Hongyun immediately said respectfully: "Farewell, Your Majesty!"
Ye Hongyun muttered in his heart, "Is this guy going to make another contribution?"
Zhang Hulan followed Emperor Yongxing to the imperial study, and soon Qin Bingrong and Wu Bangtai also arrived.
Emperor Yongxing asked Zhang Hulan to repeat what she had just said to Qin Bingrong and Wu Bangtai.
After hearing Zhang Hulan's story, Qin Bingrong looked at Zhang Hulan in surprise, with a light flashing in his eyes.
Emperor Yongxing asked: "Minister Qin, Minister Wu, do you think her idea is feasible?"
Qin Bingrong replied: "Your Majesty, I had this idea before, but the experiment was unsuccessful."
Qin Bingrong then looked at Zhang Hulan and asked, "May I ask who this lady is?"
Zhang Hulan knelt down and saluted, "Your Excellency, I am Zhang Hulan from Changning County, Ding'an Prefecture."
Qin Bingrong and Wu Bangtai both suddenly realized, "So you are Zhang Hulan."
Qin Bingrong and Wu Bangtai both bowed to Zhang Hulan and said, "Madam Zhang, offering the prescription to treat the people is truly a noble cause."
Zhang Hulan said hurriedly, "I don't deserve it, it's all because of the emperor's great blessings that the people can be blessed and healthy.
I have only done my bit to help, how dare I take credit for it?
It is my honor to be able to do something for my fellow villagers.
I only hope that there will be no more epidemics in the world, and that the people can live and work in peace and contentment. This will not be in vain for the emperor's grace, nor for the efforts you have made for the people's livelihood."
Zhang Hulan spoke sincerely, lowered her head slightly, and had a dignified and humble manner, with a sense of style and bearing.
Emperor Yongxing asked Qin Bingrong, "Qin Aiqing has done experiments in this area before? How come I don't know?"
Qin Bingrong bowed and said, "Your Majesty, I was also thinking about whether I could cultivate high-quality grain seeds.
But it was unsuccessful, and the seeds that were cultivated were not good, so I didn’t mention it to the emperor.”
"What was the problem that didn't work?"
Qin Bingrong shook his head, "I don't know the reason either. If I knew the reason, perhaps I would have cultivated it."
Qin Bingrong turned to look at Zhang Hulan and asked, "How did Madam Zhang come up with the idea of cultivating grain seeds?
Since Madam is also thinking about cultivating grains, do you have any suggestions? Or tell us your specific ideas. "
Zhang Hulan was very surprised and she looked at Qin Bingrong carefully.
This person is the Prime Minister, and he doesn't look very old. He is so young and has already reached the highest position in the government. This person is really extraordinary.
Moreover, this person is actually already cultivating hybrid rice. He is definitely a scientist.
Even though she didn't succeed, she already had this awareness, so if she talked about it, it should be easy for the other person to understand.
Zhang Hulan asked Qin Bingrong, "May I ask, Mr. Prime Minister, how did you cultivate the seeds before?"
Qin Bingrong replied: "I will plant the two types of rice together and let them pollinate each other."
"Master Prime Minister, this is what I think." Zhang Hulan thought for a moment before speaking, "I believe that everything in the world has life, and plants also have life.
Since they have life, do they reproduce the next generation just like humans? Do they have a father and a mother? "
Zhang Hulan coughed dryly, "Ahem, um... Your Majesty, my lords, my metaphor may be a little vulgar, I hope your Majesty and my lords will not mind."
Emperor Yongxing waved his hand, "It's okay, just tell me what you want to say."
Zhang Hulan continued, "I think that we should position the two types of rice we want to cultivate, just like positioning one as the father and the other as the mother.
Then the pollen from the father plant is transferred to the mother plant, and the pollen from other plants cannot be contaminated to the pollinated plant, so that the seeds cultivated are relatively pure. "
Emperor Yongxing, Qin Bingrong and Wu Bangtai all looked at Zhang Hulan with strange and embarrassed expressions.
This metaphor?
They think of the pollinator as a woman and the one who provides the pollen as a man.
If a woman wants to have a child with this man, she naturally cannot have affairs with other men.
Qin Bingrong carefully thought about Zhang Hulan's analogy and found it very reasonable.
Qin Bingrong asked: "Is there anything else that needs attention?"
Zhang Hulan said: "I haven't thought of anything else yet. All we need to do is cover the two mating rice plants with something after pollination to prevent pollen from other rice plants from entering."
Zhang Hulan never finished explaining all the precautions for hybrid rice, such as the need to pull out the stamens on the mother plant during hybridization.
Zhang Hulan also did not say anything about the male parent of the sterile line.
Things need to be done step by step, and explained slowly during the experiment, so it will be easier to understand.
Emperor Yongxing said, “Lord Qin, this matter still needs to be done, and you should be responsible for it.
If we can really cultivate high-quality grain seeds, it will be a great thing for the people of the world."
Qin Bingrong bowed and said, "I accept your order. I will do my best to cultivate grain."
Qin Bingrong then said, "Your Majesty, Madam Zhang has a lot of experience in this matter. I ask Your Majesty to agree and ask Madam Zhang to train with me."
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