87 Chapter 87
◎Goodbye, old friend.◎
The two countries of Chu and Yue were divided into several places, including Jiujiang County, Changsha County, Kuaiji County, etc. Fusu set out from Xianyang and headed south, and his first destination was Changsha County.
Meng Hua looked at the map and said, "This is Baiyue. Your Highness, since the south is hot and rice can be harvested twice a year, then the land of Baiyue is even hotter. Shouldn't it be possible to harvest three times a year?"
Fusu said, "Logically, that's the way it should be. However, the land of the Baiyue is full of miasma. We must be mindful of this when we conquer the land of the Baiyue in the future."
Wang Li drew a line on the map and said, "The land of Baiyue is so vast. If we connect this place with Changsha County and plant rice here, with two or three harvests a year, how many people would we need to feed?"
Fusu smiled and said, "Yes, that's why we must conquer the land of the Baiyue someday. This place is close to the Baiyue, and the people of Qian also have ties to the south. Now that we're here, we must take advantage of the proximity to the water and the moon."
Baiyue is a general term, not just a place or a tribe. It's okay in Changsha County, but if you go south to Kuaiji County, the people there have closer ties with the Baiyue people.
Fusu's plan for this trip was to travel from Changsha to Jiujiang and then to Kuaiji. Besides checking on the people's livelihood, he also intended to investigate the situation of the Baiyue. After all, the Qin army had paid a heavy price in its previous campaign against the Baiyue, and Fusu naturally wanted to change that this time.
The problem of miasma is easy to solve, but the climate in the south is hot and humid, and the soldiers from the north cannot adapt to it, which will cause physical problems, and then cause many chain reactions. This problem also needs Fusu to solve urgently.
However, these are not the most important things at the moment. The conquest of Baiyue has not yet been included in the First Emperor's schedule, and Fusu still has a lot of time to prepare.
Fusu’s top priority now is still the planting of rice and sugarcane. The rice was decided before he set out, while the sugarcane was something Fusu thought of halfway.
Sugarcane can be used to make sugar, which was a rare commodity in ancient times. It can also be used to replenish soldiers' energy during marches and battles.
Fusu stood on the shoulders of giants and used the experience of later generations to improve the current rice farming methods. After providing new agricultural tools, he instructed Wang Li and Meng Hua to take care of the follow-up, while he himself studied sugarcane planting and sugar production.
The history of making sugar from sugarcane is very long, but in an era when people could not even fill their stomachs, it was impossible for the farmers to spend so much effort to grow a lot of sugarcane.
If Fusu wanted to increase the yield of sugarcane to produce large amounts of sugar, he had to first solve the problem of food and clothing for the sugarcane growers.
Summoning the governors and lieutenants, Fusu ordered them to come up with a plan. He planned to establish a complete production chain, from sugarcane planting to sugar production. This way, sugarcane cultivation would have guaranteed returns.
However, since ancient times, farming has been the hardest and most oppressive job, so Fusu also formulated a series of laws to protect the rights and interests of sugarcane growers.
Fusu had copied the sugarcane planting manual on the road. Fortunately, he had made preparations and brought with him several craftsmen who were skilled in woodblock printing. Only then was he able to print the manual in large quantities and hand it over to the clerks to teach the people in the sugarcane fields.
Since he wanted to check on the people's livelihood in various places, Fusu certainly couldn't just sit in the hall and not even set foot on the land in the fields.
Therefore, on the way from Changsha County to Kuaiji County, Fusu would go to the fields to take a look every time he passed a place.
When they stopped at a certain place that day, after asking the county lieutenant, Fusu went to the farmland to see the newly planted sugarcane with a small entourage as usual.
Fusu happened to meet the owner of the land and wanted to ask him about the local situation. However, because he did not understand the local dialect and could not understand what the owner said, Fusu ordered his guards to find a local who could speak Mandarin.
The people who didn't want to follow the guards were two old friends Fusu hadn't seen for many years.
"Greetings, Your Highness." Han Fei and Zhang Liang saluted Fusu with a smile.
For Fusu, this was a pleasant surprise. He smiled before he even spoke: "It's been many years since we last met. How are you two?"
As he spoke, Fusu hurriedly returned the gift, and everything was just as it was back then.
Han Fei smiled and said, "Thanks to Your Highness, everything is fine."
Zhang Liang smiled and nodded. "Thank you for your concern. Everything is fine. But I've only read your letters, and I didn't expect you to look so different now. I almost didn't recognize you."
Fusu laughed and said, "It's not just me. Haven't you changed your appearance as well? But Mr. Han, you look the same as before, not much has changed."
Han Fei shook his head, still smiling: "You have all grown up, I am getting old."
Fusu tilted his head to look at Han Fei: "Sir, your appearance has not changed, but your temperament has changed a lot. I remember that you didn't like to laugh before."
Zhang Liang jokingly said, "I know the reason. Perhaps it's because not all students are as studious and motivated as you."
"Huh?" Fusu asked in surprise, "Master, you've gone back to teaching. But haven't you always believed that if you don't learn well, you should punish them. Are you changing your mind to be lenient now?"
Han Fei waved his hand and said, "Your Highness, please take care of your business first. I can deal with this little matter later."
Fusu then remembered that he still had important things to do, so he explained his purpose and asked Han Fei and Zhang Liang to be his translators.
Although the farmer did not know Fusu's identity, he could tell that he was a noble man. Seeing that he was not condescending and did not despise the dirtiness of the land, he told Fusu everything about his own family, his neighbors, and the local sugarcane planting without any concealment.
When they finished checking the situation and left, the sun had already moved westward. Fusu raised his hand to his brow and said with a smile, "Since you two are 'locals', I will be shameless and ask you to treat me to a meal."
Zhang Liang smiled and said, "Of course. This way please."
Han Fei said, "Zi Fang and I lived together. I arrived last year, and he arrived at the beginning of the year, so I invited him to stay at my house."
"I have a family to support, and I am really bothering you, sir." Zhang Liang bowed slightly.
"Hey?" Fusu was shocked again, "Zifang, are you married?"
Han Fei said, "Zifang has already reached adulthood, so it's natural for him to start a family. Even Your Highness will probably be getting married in a few years."
Fusu nodded and said, "Indeed, when I return, my father will indeed arrange a marriage for me."
Zhang Liang smiled and said, "Congratulations! She must be Prime Minister Li's daughter."
Fusu laughed and said, "Is there anything in the world that Zhang Zifang can't deduce?"
"You mentioned it in your letter," Zhang Liang reminded him. "Don't you remember?"
Fusu thought for a moment and shook his head: "I can't remember."
Zhang Liang said, "You say you don't like Li Si, but that doesn't mean you're guilty. His daughter is his daughter, his son is his son. It has nothing to do with Li Si."
Before Fusu could say anything, Han Fei laughed and said, "So that's how it is. You were attracted to Li Si's daughter first. No wonder you and Zifang get along so well. It turns out you two are alike in this respect."
Fusu looked at Zhang Liang curiously, but Zhang Liang just smiled and asked, "Since you like her, of course you should fight for her, right?"
Fusu nodded affirmatively: "That's right!"
"I thought you made such a guess because my father valued Prime Minister Li." Fusu said again.
Zhang Liang said, "It's true that His Majesty values Li Si, but regarding your marriage, I believe he will ask your opinion first. He will only make it if you are satisfied."
Fusu raised his chin and nodded: "That's right, my father has always loved me and will not ignore my wishes."
Han Fei sighed silently, but Zhang Liang was much more indifferent. He had been corresponding with Fusu for many years and knew very well how the most noble father and son in the Qin Dynasty got along with each other.
They walked all the way to a quiet house. Before he opened the door, Fusu heard a child reciting in the yard.
Fusu smiled and said, "Zifang has taught well. Our children will become lazy if we can't keep an eye on them for a while."
Zhang Liang said, "Mr. Han's teaching is effective."
Han Fei smiled slightly and said, "Teaching the children in a different way is more effective than scaring them."
As they were talking, they walked in, met Zhang Liang's wife and children, and then invited Fusu into the house to talk.
Fusu was still thinking about the previous topic, and as soon as he sat down, he pretended to complain: "When the teacher taught us, this was not the case. From this, it seems that we have suffered a great loss."
Han Fei said, "Except Meng Hua, no one else gives me a headache."
Fusu couldn't help laughing: "Meng Hua also came with me. Tomorrow I will ask him to visit the master and listen to the master's teachings again."
"Okay." Han Fei nodded, looking very serious.
Fusu said, "Then we'll stay here for a few more days. Don't be bothered, sir. By the way, I promised to treat you to some candy before, but I don't have any with me today. I've already got some freshly made candy delivered to me. I'll treat you tomorrow."
Han Fei was stunned for a moment. Now, when he recalled the past, he no longer felt melancholy. He just said calmly, "I have always known that Your Highness is a man who keeps his promises."
This sentence obviously does not just refer to the words about eating candy that year, but also refers to many things that Fusu once said have been realized or are being realized.
Zhang Liang sighed and agreed, "Yes."
After traveling through several countries and seeing the people in various places, even though Zhang Liang still had feelings for South Korea, he had to admit that only the unification of Qin was the best outcome to the conflicts of these hundreds of years.
Fusu looked at him and smiled, "I have seen so many landscapes with the help of Zifang's paintings over the years. I still owe you a thank you."
Zhang Liang chuckled softly and said, "This time you can finally see it with your own eyes. The mountains and rivers are magnificent, and the people live and work in peace and contentment. Your Highness, this is all thanks to you."
"That's wrong." Fusu smiled at first, then said seriously, "Zifang, it's all your majesty's credit, that's the correct way to put it."
Zhang Liang pondered for a moment, then said, "This is all thanks to Your Majesty and His Highness." Before Fusu could speak, he added, "I am your friend, so naturally I should be on your side, just as you are on Your Majesty's side."
There is nothing to say about Fusu. People's hearts are always biased. In short, in his heart, the current situation of Qin is all due to his father.
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