Chapter 88 Wang Jian: We will build a military base in Chu
It was only after Li Si and the others arrived at Zhangtai Palace that they learned that it was true that His Majesty had invited them to eat seafood and had summoned them to discuss important matters.
But what was discussed this time was particularly unexpected.
However, since the immortal's arrival, there have been countless unexpected events. Everyone was only stunned for a moment longer. Then, the top leaders of the Qin Dynasty calmed down and discussed how to proceed.
They skipped the question of whether or not to do it, saving a lot of time arguing. What remained was how to do it, who to send to do it, and how to maximize benefits.
"Master, how many people are needed to cultivate kelp?"
The jade stone lit up, and a slightly distorted voice emanated. "That depends on the size of the kelp aquaculture base. Generally, a few dozen people are enough, but if you want to expand, you'll definitely need more people. Other preparations must also be made as soon as possible," Wei Shengxue emphasized. "Seedling harvesting will begin in July, so the preliminary preparations must be completed before then."
So the ministers got into an argument over who should be put in charge.
When it comes to familiarity with the sea, the locals of Donghai County are undoubtedly more suitable. However, that region was once part of the Qi and Chu states, and being far from Xianyang, they are not entirely convinced of the Qin Empire. Without someone to restrain them, they might use this as a base for rebellion and unrest.
Wei Shengxue didn't care about their arguments. He only cared about when the project would be completed and when it could start. According to his vision, kelp farming should become a pillar industry in Donghai County.
If following the Qin Dynasty can provide you with enough food and warm clothes, who would be willing to follow those rebels and do something that could get you killed?
Fortunately, their argument didn't last long and didn't waste Wei Shengxue's time.
The taxation of mountains, rivers, lakes and seas has always been the responsibility of the Shaofu, and this time he also sent people to supervise the matter.
The Donghai Commandery will gather the personnel. There's no need to bring too many people; they're all newbies who need to be trained. Rather than bringing them all the way there and then starting over, it's better to train them now. By the time the special envoy arrives, they'll be ready to get started.
I just don't know if the immortal master is willing to spend time giving me guidance.
If it were any other time, Wei Shengxue might not have spent so much time and would have just mentioned it briefly and let them figure it out on their own. But now she had to place a clone in the system, and she couldn't leave, so it was a good opportunity to find something to entertain herself.
"Leave this matter to me," she said. "I will stay in Donghai County for a while."
She sighed somewhat unhappily. She had originally wanted to travel all over the country at once, but now she thought that it would take up a lot of time along the way. It would be good enough if she could finish it in Donghai County. As for the south and north, she would go next time.
The Qin emperor and his ministers all knew that the Immortal Master was going on a journey, but they did not know that her purpose was so clear.
"I wanted to take a detour around the border." Wei Shengxue did not hide her itinerary. Anyway, what she did did not harm Daqin. In fact, it was beneficial to them.
This wasn't a big deal, so everyone just mentioned it briefly and moved on from the topic.
Zhisu Neishi raised the question that concerned him most: "How much does it cost to build a kelp farming base? How much profit can be made after it is completed?"
Daqin doesn't mind spending some money to please the Immortal Master, but compared with this single purpose and construction that has other benefits for Daqin, the latter will naturally make them work harder.
"I don't know how much it will cost to build it. As you know, I don't know much about the specific level of Daqin." Weishengxue said very bluntly that her knowledge was insufficient.
Not to mention that she has been here for almost a year, how come she still lacks knowledge.
Because she didn't pay much attention to it. Although she had been engaged in construction in Daqin, most of it was just a tool for her to gain merit.
To be honest, her connection with Daqin is actually very weak. Even her interpersonal relationships are extremely limited, and the intersections are not deep. She looks like she can withdraw at any time.
But this was just what she thought. In the eyes of the people of Daqin, she was extremely enthusiastic and would give them whatever they needed.
Putting aside these cognitive misunderstandings, both parties get along well.
"Kelp is delicious when used to make soup. But I don't think that's what you're concerned about. Kelp contains iodine, which can supplement the iodine deficiency in the human body."
Considering their lack of understanding, Wei Shengxue put it more directly, "For infants and young children, iodine deficiency can lead to mental retardation and short stature; for adults, iodine deficiency can cause thyroid disease, the external manifestation of which is goiter."
Goiter.
They wouldn't react to him, but goiter was a familiar problem, even in Xianyang. They'd assumed it was a local trait, but it was actually caused by a lack of something.
"It's not dot, it's iodine." Wei Shengxue corrected them.
Everyone pricked up their ears to listen to her. The hands of the clerks at the table next to them were almost leaving afterimages. Several people started writing at the same time, for fear of missing a single word.
"Let me tell you something you're concerned about. Kelp starts being planted in October and can be harvested in May of the following year, continuing until September. The yield per acre is over 5,000 kilograms."
What is the output?
The jade was still flashing and making sounds, but the Qin emperor and his ministers were already in a state of confusion after the shock.
Zhi Sul Nei Shi pinched his thigh hard, and the sharp pain brought him back to his senses.
He took a deep breath, but his trembling tone still revealed his turbulent heart.
"The yield per mu is 5,000 catties. Is it really 5,000 catties? Isn't it 500 catties or 500 catties?"
The Shaofu standing beside him also looked as if his soul had left his body, "Just now I also heard the Immortal Master say five thousand catties, not five hundred catties, not fifty catties, but five thousand catties!
He stretched out a hand and spread his five fingers wide, "Five thousand kilograms! It's enough for a meal!" His voice became louder and louder, and the last few words almost broke.
Thanks to the good reception of the sound stone, Wei Shengxue also heard their screams on the other end.
Knowing that the people here attached great importance to food production, she was not surprised by their overly excited behavior.
The reported kelp yield of 5,000 kilograms per mu was still an underestimation. According to the yield she learned during her time in the interstellar space, it should be 10 tons per mu, or 20,000 kilograms. This drastic reduction in yield was the result of her consideration of the possible losses caused by the backward technology at that time.
However, a word of caution is in order: "Kelp cannot be eaten as a meal, as excessive intake of trace elements and salt can cause organ failure."
But the people of Daqin, who were in ecstasy, didn't listen to her words at all.
Internal Secretary Zhisu paced around the main hall of Zhangtai Palace and stamped his foot fiercely. "Your Majesty, this kelp farming base must be built! It must be built! Build as many as possible!"
Compared with the subsequent production, these expenses are nothing. No matter how much money they spend, can it be more than what they spent on attacking the six countries!
Hearing how excited they were, Weishengxue hesitated, wondering whether he should also talk about seaweed farming.
The cultivation time for laver is similar to that of kelp, but the method is simpler and the growth time is shorter. After being planted in September or October, it only takes a month or so to grow, and then it can be harvested every seven or eight days.
After a moment's hesitation, she brought up this matter as well. Whether to do it or not, and how to do it, was their business.
This was truly a pleasant surprise. Ying Zheng suppressed his pounding heart and asked, "Can these kelp and laver only be cultivated in Donghai County?"
"That's not the case. I just haven't visited other places, so I don't know the specific conditions. I'll write you a site selection method and breeding method later, and you can choose a place based on that."
The main purpose of this connection is to talk about everything that happened during this period. After talking about kelp and seaweed farming, Weishengxue talked about ships and navy.
Those are the problems.
The ship is too small to sail far; the crew are all ordinary people and lack the training to follow orders, so additional training of sailors is needed.
But at this time, everyone in Zhangtai Palace was still immersed in the joy of unexpectedly obtaining several thousand kilograms of high-yield grain, and as for the matters concerning ships and navy, they just let it go in one ear and out the other.
The Qin Empire had already unified the world, and outside was a vast expanse of white sea. The construction of sea vessels had begun in search of the immortal mountain beyond the seas that Xu Sheng had mentioned, and the continued construction of sea vessels now was intended to demonstrate the might of the Qin Empire, but it had little practical significance.
Since ancient times, they have never heard of any other places overseas, and they don't care about it.
However, since the immortal mentioned it specifically, it seemed that he was a little worried, so Ying Zheng allocated some naval positions to the shipyard, and Xu Sheng was responsible for training and leading them.
Wei Shengxue’s attitude is, I discover, I report, and I finish.
She had already said it. She wouldn't interfere with how it was done. If it worked out, it worked out. If it didn't, it wouldn't affect her ability to reap the merits.
Then she talked about the third thing.
"Regarding the construction of a pearl breeding base, I need a place other than Donghai County. The water there must be abundant and clear, and the temperature must be higher than that in Donghai County."
Wait, wait, wait, what did the immortal just say?
Pearl farming?!
Is it the pearl they know?
Is it the pearl that Qi, Chu and other coastal areas pursue and flaunt?
Are they the pearls that were an indispensable annual state gift and were snatched away as soon as they were delivered to the Qin Dynasty?
The kind of treasure that can only grow in the sea, and fishermen have to go into the sea again and again to fish for clams, which is one in a million?
It can actually be artificially bred!
If an immortal were in front of them, they would definitely ask seriously: What else in your immortal world don’t you cultivate?
They had been discussing this for quite a while, and Wang Jian, who had just arrived late, just happened to catch up with the topic.
His first concern was not whether pearls could be cultivated, but the environmental requirements for pearl cultivation.
The temperature is slightly higher than Donghai County, and there are abundant water resources.
Hey, isn’t this the land of the former Chu State?
"This old minister suggests building a pearl breeding base in Kuaiji County."
Kuaiji County.
This is indeed a sensitive area.
Some time ago, His Majesty hinted at a desire to attack the Baiyue. However, the journey was long, the Qin Empire was unfamiliar with the geographical environment, and food supplies were difficult to come by, so many in the court opposed the use of force at this time.
What if we first open a pearl breeding base there, make a lot of money from the local wealthy and powerful, and then use this money to build that military base?
It’s called a military base, the immortal once mentioned it.
In short, we should first thoroughly understand the territory over there, become familiar with it, and cultivate the land. Then it will be easy to defeat the Baiyue when the army moves there.
No one expected such an unexpected gain. They looked at each other and laughed.
The Chu area now belongs to our Great Qin. So is there a problem if we build a military base and station troops on our own territory?
no problem!
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