My father-in-law Guan Yu, I persuaded Liu Bei to launch a surprise attack on Xiangyang at the beginn

Liu Bei was greatly alarmed.

Xiao He's description truly astonished him.

In his mind, Qingzhou and Xuzhou were the far east of the world, and beyond that lay the vast and endless sea.

Xiao He surprisingly said that there was another world to the east of the vast ocean.
The key point is that Xiao He also said that there are some seeds in that land that can grow enough grains to feed ten times more people than during the height of the Han Dynasty.

It's important to know that the population of the Han Dynasty at its peak was nearly 50 million.

Ten times, that's 500 million, or 500 million people.

What a terrifying concept this is!
"Uncle... Uncle Wen, what kind of magical crop is that? It's so incredible!"

Liu Bei's voice trembled slightly as he asked with an incredulous expression.

"These two crops are called corn and potatoes, the latter of which can also be called potatoes."

Xiao He casually gave the name.

These two things are commonplace in later generations; they are ordinary crops that are no longer considered staple foods.

However, at this time of year, these two crops only exist on the other side of the ocean and have not yet been introduced to China.

Its advantages include high yield, short growth cycle, drought and flood resistance, tolerance to poor soil and pests, convenient storage and processing, and a very strong feeling of fullness…

Putting aside the taste, these advantages alone are enough to make it the most perfect crop of the agricultural era.

It was precisely because of the introduction of these two crops that the population exploded after the Ming and Qing dynasties, surpassing the threshold of over 100 million.

The reason is obvious: if you plant rice and wheat on the same acre of land, you can only feed ten people, but if you plant corn and potatoes, you can feed a hundred people.

With fewer people starving to death and more people being supported, the population naturally increased.

Population was the most important resource in the era of cold weapons.

According to Xiao He's plan, the Han Dynasty founded by Liu Bei could no longer be content with just one corner of the thirteen provinces. It had to go out and open up a wider living space for itself and its descendants.

To expand living space, the existing population is definitely not enough.

Even if the population were restored to the peak of the Han Dynasty, which numbered forty or fifty million, it still wouldn't be enough.

The most practical and fastest way to increase the population is naturally to introduce high-yield crops.

This was Xiao He's main purpose in building a navy for Lao Liu.

All this was so that when the time was right, they could travel across the ocean to bring back corn and potato seeds from the other side of the ocean to the Han Dynasty.

"Corn...? Potatoes...?"

Liu Bei looked on in surprise and confusion, clearly having never heard of these two names before.

"These two things are not available in our Great Han Dynasty. I only heard my master mention them."

Xiao He continued to uphold the old tradition of blaming his master, who was the subject of some fabricated story, when things were unclear.

Liu Bei said "Oh," as if he had understood something.

It's normal for a hermit to know what others don't; there's nothing surprising about it.

Over the years, he has gotten used to it.

"Bowen, what is that other place east of the East Sea that your master mentioned?"

Liu Bei asked again, his eyes full of curiosity.

"Well, I've only heard my master mention it, but I've never actually seen what kind of world it is."

Xiao He continued to shift the blame onto his "master".

Unable to ask any further questions, Liu Bei could only gaze eastward, a look of longing in his eyes, and imagine things to himself.

After a moment of confusion and bewilderment.

Liu Bei suddenly returned to reality, and joy rekindled on his face:
“According to what you say, Bowen, these corn and potatoes are truly divine things.”

"If I could obtain this divine object and plant it throughout the thirteen provinces of my Great Han, wouldn't that solve the food problem once and for all, and wouldn't the people of my Great Han never have to go hungry again?"

Xiao He, however, had a deep look in his eyes and sighed:

"Even if we have corn and potatoes, the people might still go hungry..."

Old Liu was taken aback.

Your two magical items have such high production rates that they can feed 400 million people. How could you possibly let them go hungry?

Old Liu failed to grasp the deeper meaning behind Xiao He's words for a moment.

"However, although the ship has been built, it still needs to undergo actual combat training before it can sail across the ocean."

"Your Majesty, we can take advantage of this campaign against Wei and the sea raid on Youzhou to train our newly formed navy."

Xiao He didn't want to discuss the issue of people going hungry with Lao Liu in too much detail at this stage, so he decisively steered the conversation back to reality.

Liu Bei's thoughts returned to the present moment, and he nodded, saying:

“Bowen is right. Alright, let’s agree to it.”

"After the autumn harvest, I will lead a large army north to attack Yijing, and then send our navy across the Bohai Sea to penetrate deep into the heart of Youzhou, rendering Cao Cao's defenses at Yijing useless!"

The strategy was thus set.

Liu Bei then issued an edict ordering all 300,000 troops of the Imperial Guard to return to Yingyang Prefecture for rest and recuperation, while also preparing for the autumn harvest.

At the same time, an imperial edict was issued ordering Lu Xun, Gan Ning, Zhu Huan, and others to go to Qingzhou to prepare for a surprise attack on Youzhou via the Bohai Sea.

Following this, edicts to implement the equal-field system and the military system in Ji Province were also sent to various prefectures and kingdoms.

The powerful and influential clans of Jizhou were unparalleled in the world.

Previously, whether Yuan Shao was in power or Cao Cao was in charge, they had always tried their best to win over the powerful clans and gentry of Ji Province.

After Cao Cao retreated to Hebei, in order to gain the support of the Ji Province gentry, he promoted and appointed Ji Province gentry on a large scale, replacing the original Yingchuan gentry as the pillars of the state.

This resulted in half of the high-ranking officials and ministers of the puppet Wei dynasty coming from Ji Province. In return, these soldiers and powerful clans of Ji Province provided troops and supplies to fully support Cao Cao.

Unfortunately, in the battles of Liyang and Yecheng, Cao Cao lost 70,000 to 80,000 troops, almost wiping out the entire army of Ji Province.

The powerful clans and gentry of Ji Province suffered a severe blow as a result.

Therefore, when Liu Bei implemented the dual system, the powerful clans and gentry of Ji Province had almost no room for resistance and could only swallow their anger and obediently submit.

The two systems were thus able to be implemented smoothly.

The powerful clans and gentry of various prefectures and kingdoms had no choice but to return all the unclaimed and abandoned lands they had seized, which were then confiscated by the government.

Tens of thousands of acres of fertile land were all given to the able-bodied people of Jizhou.

Inspired by the equal-field system, the people of various counties and kingdoms in Ji Province rushed to join the ranks of the Fubing (military service).

In just a few months, the number of registered soldiers in the various Yingyang Prefectures of Jizhou had surged to 70,000.

The hearts of the people of Jizhou turned to Liu Bei at lightning speed!
While the "two systems" policy was being implemented, another major undertaking was also underway:
Move the capital!

With the world still unsettled and the puppet state of Wei yet to be destroyed, the selection of the capital should naturally prioritize convenience in the campaign against Wei.

Previously, in order to facilitate the conquest of Hebei, the capital of the Great Chu Kingdom was moved from Yingtian to Xuchang.

In order to conquer Youzhou, the capital should naturally be moved to Yecheng, which is closer to the city.

Therefore, when the imperial edict to relocate the capital was issued, all the princes, concubines, civil and military officials who remained in Ye City moved north to Ye City.

With the capital of Chu moved to Ye, Xuchang was left vacant.

Zhuge Liang then obeyed Liu Bei's imperial edict and escorted the Empress Dowager and the Emperor and Empress northward from Yingtian back to the capital, Xuchang.

After all, Liu Bei has now recovered most of the north, and it would be inappropriate to leave the emperor in a corner of Jiangdong, as it would easily invite criticism.

Now that Xuchang is vacant, it is only natural for the emperor to return the capital to the Central Plains.

While Liu Bei moved the capital to Ye City to prepare for his northern attack on Youzhou, Cao Cao was also working day and night to build Yijing.

To protect Youzhou, Cao Cao ordered the mobilization of tens of thousands of people to frantically reinforce Yijing by carrying soil and stones as soon as he arrived in Youzhou.

Originally, to prepare for unforeseen circumstances, Cao Cao had already begun rebuilding the Yijing defense line when he retreated to Hebei.

Now that he has retreated to Youzhou, Cao Cao has launched a massive construction project on the existing defenses of Yijing, urging the people of Youzhou to reinforce the defenses day and night.

Cao Cao was well aware that after the autumn harvest, Liu Bei would mobilize all his troops to attack from the north.

There is not much time left for him.

...

Yecheng.

Guan Yinping led a team of elite guards, escorting a carriage, and stopped in front of the Fourth Young Master's residence.

Xiao He alighted from the carriage, a few books tucked under his arm, and entered the mansion accompanied by Guan Yinping.

Two months ago, during the conversation between the emperor and his minister, Xiao He agreed to become the tutor of the fourth prince, Liu Yu. Since he had made the promise, he naturally had to keep it.

The autumn harvest has just begun, and there is still some time before the army's northern expedition. The fourth prince has already moved to Ye City and settled down.

Xiao He then thought that before the northern expedition, he would take some time to come and teach Liu Yu.

Also, I'll take a look at this fourth young master, who is rumored to be exceptionally talented and has the same reputation as Cao Chong as a "child prodigy," and see for myself just how gifted he really is.

Walking through the halls and corridors to the inner courtyard, I immediately saw a child squatting in the yard, lost in thought.

That child, with a touch of boyishness yet also a hint of heroism, was none other than the Fourth Prince, Liu Yu.

When the guards on either side saw that Xiao He had arrived, they hurriedly tried to remind him.

Xiao He raised his hand to interrupt them, signaling them not to disturb Liu Yu.

The guards had no choice but to keep quiet, and Xiao He walked quietly into the courtyard, observing Liu Yu with great interest.

At this moment, Liu Yu was squatting on the ground, his hand supporting his cheek, staring intently at an apple tree in the corner of the yard.

A hint of confusion lingered in his slightly narrowed eyes, and his brows were deeply furrowed, as if he were pondering something.

"boom!"

A ripe apple fell and landed right on Liu Yu's head.

Liu Yu, however, ignored the pain, rubbing his head, looking down at the apple on the ground, then looking up at the sky, his eyes seeming to have discovered something perplexing yet novel and unsolved.

"interesting…"

Xiao He's lips curled slightly, and he asked with a smile:

"Did you see something strange about this apple, Fourth Young Master?"

Liu Yu turned around and saw that it was Xiao He who had arrived. He quickly straightened his clothes and bowed respectfully.
"Yu pays his respects to Grand Commandant Xiao... no, he pays his respects to his teacher."

Although the child was young, he was very well-mannered and dared not put on any airs of being the son of the King of Chu in front of Xiao He.

Xiao He quickly stepped forward to help him up and explained the purpose of his trip.

Upon hearing that Xiao He was going to teach him, Liu Yu was overjoyed and hurriedly invited Xiao He into the hall.

"When I came in just now, I saw you staring at the apple tree in a daze. After being hit by a falling apple, you looked quite puzzled. I wonder what you were thinking about?"

Xiao He turned around and pointed to the apple tree, asking a question.

Liu Yu's eyes lit up, and he quickly cupped his hands in greeting:

“My father said that you, teacher, know everything about the world. There is something I can’t figure out and I would like you to help me understand it.”

Xiao He waved his hand slightly, signaling Liu Yu to express his confusion.

The five-year-old boy pointed to the apple tree and said:
"The students couldn't understand why the apple fell face-down to the ground instead of face-up into the sky." (End of Chapter)