Chapter 80 Fuyou Hall
When the English words came out, the whole hall was so quiet that you could only hear a pin drop.
"Oh my god, you can speak our language!"
"My name is Antonio and oh my god, this is so surprising!"
Zhao Xiao and Xu Bing also looked at Song Yuzhu in surprise. They didn't know that the emperor could speak the barbarian language.
Zhao Xiao guessed that Song Yuzhu must have learned it in that world, but no one asked in front of so many people.
Song Yuzhu's English level was average, limited to simple communication, but the English in the Middle Ages was not too different from that of today, so there was no problem for the two to communicate.
Song Yuzhu waved his hand and asked the guards to take the others away, leaving only the captain to be questioned.
"Where are you from?"
"We come from the great English Empire."
From Antonio, we learned that Europe was now in the Middle Ages, and their country was the English Empire, ruled by Henry III.
These people set out from the English Channel, crossed the Strait of Gibraltar and the Strait of Malacca, and it took them more than half a year to get here.
There were a total of seventeen ships when they set out, five of which were capsized by waves, and some people were infected with scurvy, resulting in a shortage of manpower to drive the ships. Some ships had to be abandoned, and finally the remaining six ships successfully arrived.
"Have you discovered any other countries along the way?"
Antonio: "I have discovered many small countries, but this is the first time I have encountered a country as powerful as yours."
Song Yuzhu raised the corner of her mouth slightly: "What did you bring from somewhere else?"
"Gold, silver, jewelry, animal skins, and weapons." Antonio was a smart man. He knew he couldn't hide it, so he simply told Song Yuzhu everything he had seen and heard along the way, hoping to leave a good impression on the king.
Although Zhao Xiao and Xu Bing didn't understand what they were saying, judging from Song Yuzhu's expression, this person must have said a lot of useful information.
Song Yuzhu pointed at the shoes on his feet and asked, "How are these shoes made?"
Antonio quickly took off his boots and explained: "We found this on an island in the south. The local natives cut open the tree and smeared the liquid that flowed out on their feet. When it dried, it became a pair of waterproof boots."
Song Yuzhu was sure that this was the rubber tree, and asked about the exact location of the island, asking if it could be found.
Song Yuzhu didn't understand the nouns Antonio said, and after gesturing for a long time, Song Yuzhu still couldn't understand. It seemed that he could only find time to ask him to draw a nautical chart.
Song Yuzhu finally asked them about the food they ate from the nautical chart, and Antonio quickly took out a few cooked potatoes from his waist pocket.
"We caught fish for food mostly, and brought lots of potatoes and dry bread."
Song Yuzhu saw the familiar potatoes and her heart beat faster: "Are there any raw potatoes?"
Antonio nodded: "There should be another bag. If you want, I will give it to you."
"But your Majesty, this thing is poisonous when it sprouts. You must be careful when eating it."
Potatoes were discovered in America. When they were first introduced to Europe, only poor people ate them. It was only after many tragedies that people came to realize that sprouted potatoes could poison people.
Song Yuzhu nodded and asked the eunuch to follow him to get it.
"Your Majesty, please allow us to repair here for a while. Our ship cannot withstand the wind and waves on the way back, so we need to build a few new ships."
Song Yuzhu nodded: "Okay."
Antonio asked tentatively: "Can we exchange the gold for some goods to take back?"
"certainly."
"Oh, God! You are such a kind and forgiving king."
Song Yuzhu snorted in his heart, don't flatter me, if it weren't for rubber and potatoes, he would not bother with these cunning Europeans.
"Although you are allowed to stay here, you are not allowed to harass the local people, otherwise I will hang you."
Antonio's face turned pale and he swore quickly: "This will never happen!"
"Your Majesty, I have a small request. Can you let us learn your country's language?"
This kid has some brains. He knows that if he is in a foreign country and does not learn the local language, it is like being in a mountain of gold and silver without pockets and being unable to take anything away.
It just so happened that Song Yuzhu also planned to have someone learn the barbarian language, so he waved his hand and asked Li Desheng to select a few eunuchs in their teens to follow them and learn from them.
After the people left, Xu Bing and Zhao Xiao hurriedly asked what the man had just said.
"He said he wanted to stay with us for a while to buy goods to ship back to his country."
Xu Bing said cautiously: "Your Majesty, these people are not of our race, and they know the location of our country. Will they lead troops to attack us in the future?"
It has to be said that Xu Bing's ideas were very far-sighted. In different times and spaces, the country where Song Yuzhu was located was indeed invaded by Western countries.
However, Western countries currently do not have this strength at all. Moreover, they are ahead this time and may not be invaded in the future.
Zhao Xiao said: "If they dare to attack us, I will make sure they never return."
"Don't worry about that for now, try this." Song Yuzhu shared the boiled potatoes presented by Antonio with the two of them.
"What is this? Is it water taro?" Xu Bing pinched a little bit with his fingers and tasted it on the tip of his tongue.
Zhao Xiao also took a bite. Although it didn’t taste very good, it should be enough to fill his stomach.
Song Yuzhu asked: "What do you think of this?"
Xu Bing said: "Not bad, does this thing grow near the water?"
Song Yuzhu smiled and shook her head: "No, this is a potato, which grows in the soil. This kind of food has a high yield and is easy to grow. The only disadvantage is that it is prone to pests and degradation. However, the advantages outweigh the disadvantages. If the people grow this, they can use it to fill their stomachs in years of famine."
Xu Bing finally understood why the emperor valued these barbarians so much: "If this thing is really so good, then it's a good thing these people came!"
You have to know that before there were improved varieties and various fertilizers and pesticides, people in ancient times struggled to make ends meet, and starving to death was not uncommon. Crops like potatoes, which are easy to grow and have high yields, can definitely feed many people if introduced!
This bag of potatoes was sent to the Ministry of Agriculture, where the Chief Minister of Agriculture arranged for their planting and cultivation.
Unfortunately, they did not carry corn on the ship. Today, corn is mainly grown in Latin America. Although it was also brought to Europe, Europeans did not like to eat it.
It was OK to cook raw corn, but fully mature and dried corn had a layer of old skin on it, which made it very difficult to cook. Even if it was ground into flour, it tasted terrible, and few people except the lowest slaves would eat it.
In fact, corn is the crop that Song Yuzhu wants most. It is cold-resistant and drought-resistant, and is very suitable for planting in the north. Especially in recent years, the climate in the north has been bad, and grain production has dropped by two or three levels. If corn can be introduced, it will greatly increase grain production.
Song Yuzhu had a bold idea to build a large steam-powered ship and take these barbarians to Europe to bring back corn seeds, rubber seedlings and other useful things. He could also sell some local specialties to make some money.
He had already thought of the goods, so he went to sell ceramic utensils. They liked this thing in their previous life, so he would definitely be able to sell it for a good price!
In the Middle Ages, Europeans still ate with their hands. The nobles could use silver tableware and knives and forks, while ordinary people could only use wooden tableware.
Shipbuilding takes time, and using steam engines as a power source requires even more experimentation. Steam engine technology is not yet mature, so it is too early to talk about these things.
Song Yuzhu decided to hand this matter over to the Ministry of Industry and the Ministry of Scientific Research first, allowing them to take the time to research it and then build a ship that can accommodate a thousand people.
He discussed the matter with Zhao Xiao, but he did not expect that Zhao Xiao was more ambitious than him and actually wanted to lead his troops to conquer the British Empire and make it a vassal state.
Song Yuzhu didn't know whether to laugh or cry: "Ah Xiao, they are too far away from us. We can't manage them even if we defeat them."
But it's still nice to make a lot of money from them.
*
In August, the national population census was completed and the Ministry of Households submitted the population statistics.
The total population of Qi State is now 87.5 million, which is about 500,000 fewer than the previous dynasty. The population decline is very normal due to the wars and natural disasters in recent years.
Among the more than 80 million people, children under the age of 16 account for 19%, those aged 16 to 25 account for 37%, those aged 25 to 35 account for 26%, those aged 35 to 45 account for 13%, and the remaining people over 45 years old account for less than 5%.
The life expectancy of ordinary people was too low. Those who could live to fifty were considered to be long-lived. What's more, in some cases, those who lived to be over sixty years old were buried in clay jars by their descendants.
What is a clay pot grave? It is a grave that is dug out like a pot, and the elderly are carried inside. The children bring a brick with their meals every day. After the bricks seal the grave, the elderly wait to die in the grave.
Of course, wealthy families would not do this. It is the poor people who send their elderly relatives who cannot work to the cemetery to wait for death in order to save food.
Song Yuzhu pinched his brows. For thousands of years, it has been the ideal of all emperors to ensure that the people have enough food and clothing. Even though he has thousands of years more experience than ordinary people, he still can't solve this problem quickly.
After the census was completed, the first batch of orphanages were established.
Liu Lin selected two experimental sites, one in Changze County, Zhongzhou, and the other in Qingshui County, Shuzhou.
These two places have experienced wars, and the people have been displaced, and many children have lost their parents and become orphans. Building a Fuyou Hall in such a place can help those poor children the most.
Both orphanages were funded by the local Chamber of Commerce. According to Song Yuzhu's requirements, they not only have places for children to live, but also places to play and study.
Each orphanage employs ten local women to look after the children there.
On the first day that the Qingshui County Fuyou Hall opened, many people stood at the door to watch the fun.
They didn't know what this place was used for, and some people even stuck their heads in to ask, "Is this a restaurant or an inn?"
The guard at the door said, "No, this is a place to take in orphans."
The people were amazed: "They sent unwanted children here to be raised?"
"right."
"Food and shelter?"
The bailiff nodded impatiently: "That's right."
Everyone was whispering, wondering why the government had suddenly built such a place and given it to raise children for free? How could such a good thing happen in the world? There must be something fishy going on...
The orphanage had been open for seven or eight days, but there wasn't a single child to be seen. There were so many beggars on the street, but no one dared to come in.
This is not a solution. In a few days the government will send people to inspect.
The magistrate of Qingshui County came up with a bad idea. He actually sent people to catch beggars on the street at night and locked them up in the orphanage.
(End of this chapter)
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