After three days and three nights of hard work, most of the floodwater was finally drained, and the rice paddies were saved. Only a few low-lying rice paddies were damaged, but the overall loss was not significant.
After the crisis was resolved, the evil man convened a meeting with officials from various counties and water conservancy officials to summarize the lessons learned.
"This incident tells us that water conservancy projects are not just for irrigation, but also for drainage and flood control," the wicked man said seriously. "In the future, when designing irrigation systems, drainage functions must be considered simultaneously to ensure that accumulated water can be drained in a timely manner during heavy rains."
Water officials humbly accepted the criticism and proposed improvement plans: digging more drainage ditches in low-lying areas, adding sluice gates to control water flow, and preparing pumping equipment in key areas in case of unforeseen circumstances.
The wicked man approved the plan and demanded its swift implementation. He knew all too well that agricultural production was most vulnerable to natural disasters, and floods were among the most common. Only through thorough preparation could losses be minimized.
After this near-death experience, the wicked man placed even greater emphasis on water conservancy projects. He dispatched people to conduct detailed surveys of the major rivers throughout the country, drew up water system maps, and began planning larger-scale water conservancy projects.
When Ying Zheng learned of this, he attached great importance to it, allocated special funds for water conservancy construction, and ordered local governments to fully cooperate.
When the autumn harvest season arrived, the 100,000 mu of "Qin Zhan No. 4" cultivars yielded a bumper harvest. Despite experiencing flooding along the way, the losses were minimized thanks to the joint efforts of all parties.
The wicked man personally went to inspect the rice harvest near Xianyang. He saw that the farmers were using improved sickles, and the harvesting speed was far greater than before. The harvested rice was taken to the threshing ground and threshed using a new type of threshing machine, which was both labor-saving and efficient.
"How was the harvest?" the wicked husband asked.
The official in charge of the measurement excitedly replied, "Reporting to the Grand Commandant, preliminary calculations show an average yield of about 420 jin per mu, similar to last year. Considering the floods this year, this harvest is already quite remarkable."
The wicked man nodded: "Indeed, it's not easy. We'll report in detail to His Majesty after the data from each county is compiled."
Half a month later, the harvest data for 100,000 mu of rice fields were all compiled. The total yield reached 42 million jin, with an average yield of 420 jin per mu, which was basically in line with expectations. Even more encouraging is that five counties, due to suitable climate, have begun preparing for the second season of planting.
The wicked husband immediately went to the palace to report this good news to Ying Zheng.
"Your Majesty, the harvest of 100,000 mu of new rice has been completed, yielding a total of 42 million jin of rice," the wicked man reported respectfully.
Ying Zheng was overjoyed upon hearing this: "Excellent! This matches your expectations, my dear minister! This grain is enough to solve the food and clothing problems of many people."
The wicked man continued, "Five counties have already begun preparations for the second season's planting, and it is estimated that the yield will increase by about ten million jin. Next year, the planting area will expand to 500,000 mu, and with the second season's harvest from some areas, the total output should reach over two hundred million jin."
Ying Zheng exclaimed in astonishment, "Two hundred million jin! What an enormous number! How many people could such a vast amount of grain feed?"
The wicked man replied, "If we calculate that each person needs 300 catties of grain per year, it could feed over 600,000 people. In two more years, if the planting area reaches 2 million mu, the annual output will exceed 800 million catties, enough to feed nearly 3 million people."
Ying Zheng was deeply gratified: "The people are the foundation of the state, and food is the people's paramount necessity. With sufficient grain, the foundation of my Great Qin can be even more solid."
He pondered for a moment, then said, "Currently, a migration policy is being implemented throughout the country, and the population of our Great Qin is gradually increasing. If there is insufficient food, a great disaster will surely occur. Your actions, my esteemed minister, are truly the foundation for the stability of the nation!"
"Your Majesty is wise," the wicked man bowed and said, "I believe that only with sufficient food can the people be spared from hunger; only when the people are well-fed can the country enjoy long-term stability. This is not only related to current stability, but also to the foundation of our Great Qin Dynasty for thousands of generations to come."
Ying Zheng wholeheartedly agreed: "Well said! My mind is made up. Next year, I will fully support the promotion of rice cultivation. Just ask me for the money, grain, and manpower you need."
The wicked man thanked the emperor and then offered another suggestion: "Your Majesty, I believe that in addition to expanding the planting area, we should also focus on the construction of granaries. The abundant harvests of good years should be properly stored to prepare for famine years. Only in this way can we truly achieve national prosperity and peace."
Ying Zheng nodded in agreement: "Your words are absolutely correct, my dear minister. There is an ancient saying: 'When the granaries are full, people know etiquette.' Only when the granaries are full can the people live and work in peace and contentment. I hereby order the construction of more granaries throughout the land to ensure that the grain from bountiful harvests can be properly stored."
Thus, with Ying Zheng's strong support, the evil man's rice seed innovation plan entered a larger-scale promotion phase. With the goals of 500,000 mu in the second year and 2 million mu in the third year being achieved, the grain output of the Qin Empire underwent a tremendous change.
The emergence of "Qin Zhan No. 4" not only greatly increased grain production, but also changed the planting habits in the northern region, enabling many areas that could only grow dry crops to grow rice, further improving land utilization.
Meanwhile, the farmers led by Tao Rang continued to optimize and breed "Qin Zhan No. 5". After three years of hard work, they finally cultivated an even better variety – "Qin Zhan No. 6". This new rice not only yields up to 500 jin per mu, but also has a shorter growing season, stronger disease resistance, and wider adaptability. It is a comprehensive upgrade of "Qin Zhan No. 4".
Driven by the wicked husband, "Qin Zhan No. 6" was soon put into production. Although it was initially planted on a small scale, its amazing yield quickly aroused great interest among the farmers.
Three years passed in the blink of an eye, and the wicked man's agricultural reform plan had achieved brilliant results. The Qin Empire's grain output had nearly doubled compared to before the reform, grain reserves were plentiful, and the people were well-fed and clothed.
All of this made Ying Zheng rely on his wicked husband even more. In a private audience, Ying Zheng spoke earnestly to his wicked husband:
"My dear minister, your achievements in agricultural innovation are worthy of being remembered for generations. With ample food supplies, the foundation of our Great Qin is solid. But I still have one concern—the population."
The wicked man asked respectfully, "Your Majesty, what makes you say such a thing?"
Ying Zheng sighed, "Although my Great Qin is vast and rich in resources, its population is still insufficient compared to its land. Many fertile fields lie uncultivated, and many resources remain undeveloped. If we could increase the population, my Great Qin would surely become even more prosperous and powerful."
The wicked man pondered for a moment, then solemnly said, "Your Majesty's concerns are absolutely correct. The most important matter for the nation is ensuring the well-being of its people. The food problem has been solved; the next step should be to increase the population. I am willing to share Your Majesty's worries and devise a strategy to increase the population."
Ying Zheng nodded in satisfaction: "Good! I look forward to your wise plan, my dear minister."
Thus, having solved the food problem, the wicked man turned his attention to the population problem, preparing to create another miracle in this field.
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