Chapter 55: Increasing Food Production

"Chengqian, who do you think should be sent to warn Goguryeo?" Li Er asked.

It didn't matter to Li Er who he sent. Regardless of whether it would succeed or not, Li Er would send troops to Goguryeo to teach Goguryeo a lesson. Since the prince proposed this, he would choose someone.

Li Chengqian thought of Xiang Li Xuanjiang. In history, it was he who was sent to Goguryeo to warn Goguryeo not to be too arrogant and stop attacking Baekje.

At that time, Li Chengqian didn't understand why Li Er had to send Xiang Li Xuanjiang, an official of the food management department, to Goguryeo when there were so many talented people in the Tang Dynasty.

Even though Goguryeo was just a small country, you only sent a grain manager. You really don't take Goguryeo seriously

. What's more, the diplomatic mission should generally be the business of the Ministry of Rites, and has nothing to do with Prime Minister Li Xuanjiang.

Indeed, Li Er didn't take Goguryeo seriously at the moment. He was already very kind to send an official to say hello to Goguryeo.

If the prince hadn't brought it up, Li Er would have been too lazy to care about Goguryeo. How dare a small country like this challenge the majesty of the Celestial Empire! It was simply courting death.

"Father! I think Prime Minister Li Xuanjiang of the Ministry of Agriculture is suitable! He can take on the important task of being an envoy to Goguryeo!" Li Chengqian said.

"That's it! Let Li Xuanjiang, the Prime Minister of the Ministry of Agriculture, go to Goguryeo with the imperial seal." Li Er nodded and agreed with Li Chengqian's opinion! He announced on the spot that Li Xuanjiang would be sent to Goguryeo.

Li Er said nothing, and without giving Chu Suiliang a chance to speak, he left the main hall and went to the side hall. Li Chengqian had no choice but to return to his East Palace.

"Wang Quan, send someone to the Ministry of Agriculture to call the two agricultural officials to me." Li Chengqian said.

"Yes! I will send someone to call them now!" Wang Quan took the order and left.

As soon as Li Chengqian returned to the East Palace, he asked someone to call the officials in charge of agriculture. A few months ago, Li Chengqian mentioned the research on hybrid rice to these agricultural officials.

Let them go back and work hard in the direction he said to see if they can research hybrid rice.

The Tang Dynasty was fighting wars everywhere, and the food consumption was a huge problem. If there was a disaster, there would not be enough food.

The food production in the Tang Dynasty was not large. One mu of good land could only produce 2 dan of grain in a good year.

The Tang Dynasty produced one dan of land, which was equivalent to 3.8 dan of land in the Han Dynasty. One dan in the Han Dynasty was equivalent to 100 catties. The Tang Dynasty was 3.8 times that of the Han Dynasty. In other words, the best land could produce more than 700 catties of grain at most.

This is only when there is a good year, there will be such a harvest. If there is a bad year, it will be quite bitter.

The Tang Dynasty was different from later generations. One mu of good farmland could produce hundreds of kilograms of grain, or even more than a thousand kilograms.

How to increase grain production became a problem that Li Chengqian had to consider.

So Li Chengqian thought of hybrid rice, which could improve the yield and quality of crops.

If hybrid rice could be developed, it would greatly increase grain production, and people would be able to store more grain at home.

By then, if there was a famine or something, they wouldn't have to worry about food.

However, researching hybrid rice is not an easy task. Even if there is technical data on hybrid rice in Li Chengqian's later generations, it depends on the research of agricultural officials in the Tang Dynasty.

It is also a huge project!

Soon, the eunuchs of the East Palace summoned the two agricultural officials to the East Palace.

"Your Highness!" The two agricultural officials, one tall and one short, one fat and one thin, saluted Li Chengqian. "

No need to be polite! Wang Quan will give you a seat!" Li Chengqian said as he looked at the two agricultural officials who came in, and ordered Wang Quan to give them a seat.

"Thank you, Your Highness!" Wang Quan ordered people to bring two chairs for the two agricultural officials.

"How is the hybrid rice that I asked you to make going?" Li Chengqian asked impatiently as soon as they sat down on the chairs.

The two agricultural officials felt a little embarrassed. The prince gave them a technology for cultivating a new rice called two-line hybrid rice. They had carefully studied this technical work during this period and also conducted research based on the technology above.

Rice is a self-pollinating plant, with the stamens and pistils growing in the same flower. Since the flowers are very small and each flower only produces one seed,

it is too difficult to use artificial pollination to breed new varieties through hybridization.

There are not many rice plants in the Guanzhong region, and there are too few for them to conduct research and breed new varieties.

So far, their research has not made any substantial breakthroughs, but they have also summarized some experience.

As long as they are given some more time, it should not be a difficult problem to develop hybrid rice.

"Your Highness! We have conducted research on rice according to the technical works given by Your Highness and your guidance. So far, there have been no substantial breakthroughs." said the tall and fat agricultural officer.

"Yes! Your Highness! We selected a batch of rice for experiments, but all of them ended in failure. We have summarized some experience and will conduct another experiment in the spring." The thin and short agricultural officer said.

"What is the reason for the failure? But is there any problem with the data I gave you?" Li Chengqian said.

"Not really! Your Highness's agricultural works have opened up a whole new world for us, but rice is a self-pollinating plant, and the male and female stamens grow in the same flower, and the flower is relatively small, so it is difficult to pollinate successfully by hand!" said the short and thin agricultural officer.

Then he talked about a lot of related matters in this regard, and Li Chengqian was confused. He had not done any research in this area, and he did not know many academic issues.

"The hybrid rice issue is left to you. I don't know much about it, so I can't give you any substantive suggestions. You can only figure it out on your own."

"Once you can research such a hybrid rice, you can increase food production greatly, which is a major event that benefits the country and the people."

"If you can succeed in your research, it will be a great feat that benefits the people. In the future, you will be recorded in history forever! Your reputation will last forever! You will be admired by all generations!" Li Chengqian said.

Li Chengqian felt that he was too anxious. Such a hybrid technology was not so easy to complete.

It would take two or three years to complete. How could he, a layman, guide these experts? It

was impossible to increase rice production at the moment, after all, the hybrid rice technology was not mature yet.

After hearing this, the two of them were naturally filled with excitement. Who wouldn't want to be recorded in history?

"Don't worry, Your Highness! We have no choice but to do this for the benefit of the country and the people! It just takes some time. With time, we will be able to research hybrid rice." The tall and fat agricultural officer said.

"Okay! Then I will wait for your news! That's all for today, you can go back first!" Li Chengqian said.

"Yes!" The two agricultural officers stood up and said goodbye: "I'm leaving!"