My Portable Ming Dynasty

Chapter 353 Grain Yield Competition
"Breaking News! The Yuefu Xinbao is holding a yield competition! The prize is one thousand silver dollars!"

Newsboys roamed the streets, hawking newspapers. He Xinyin, who was sitting in a teahouse drinking tea, called over a newsboy and bought a copy of "Yuefu Xinbao".

This report is short and written in plain language that ordinary people can understand.

He Xinyin discovered that there was an increasing amount of standard vernacular in the Yuefu Xinbao newspaper.

The "Voice of the City" section, which was originally only on the second page, preferred to use vernacular articles, which was understandable, since "Voice of the City" was news aimed at ordinary people.

More and more articles are now appearing in vernacular Chinese. Is Su Ze promoting vernacular Chinese?

He Xinyin noted this trend, and his newspaper, "Xin Yuefu Bao," also prepared to increase its call for articles in vernacular Chinese.

The reason is quite simple: as newspaper circulation increases, the number of ordinary people among the readers also increases.

In order to cater to these ordinary people, it is natural to publish more articles in vernacular Chinese.

Getting back to the main point, He Xinyin began reading the report.

The report was quite simple: the Yuefu Xinbao newspaper was organizing a grain-growing competition in the Gyeonggi region.

Each participating farmer can select a one-acre experimental plot to plant winter wheat. At harvest time, the farmers will be ranked according to their yield per acre, and the farmer with the highest yield per acre will receive a reward of one thousand silver dollars.

He Xinyin smiled. "Has the Yuefu Xinbao run out of ideas? To come up with this kind of event?"
But thinking about it carefully, this activity is actually quite interesting.

Winter wheat was also grown in the Gyeonggi region. It was usually sown in the autumn and harvested before the following summer, and it was an important staple food for wealthy families in the capital.

The winter wheat planting season is coming soon, so holding this competition now is the perfect time.

Even if you're not confident about winning, you can still sign up for the competition. It's just a small plot of land, isn't it?
If a farmer carefully cultivates an acre of land and is lucky enough to increase the yield, the thousand silver dollars would be a considerable sum for him and would be extremely attractive.

He Xinyin felt that the Yuefu Xinbao was a hopeless opponent. Every time you thought it had nothing to do, it could always come up with something new that would surprise you.

In this way, the subscription volume of "Yuefu Xinbao" can reach a new level.

He Xinyin wondered if she should also organize an event in her own newspaper.
Or should we push for an expanded version in vernacular Chinese even faster?

He Xinyin thought of the Commercial Daily, a newspaper that served merchants. It had long abandoned written language, only keeping the court news reprinted on the front page in written language, while the rest of the pages were written in vernacular Chinese to make it easier for merchants to read.

In contrast, The New Gentleman's Daily refused to give up written language. Apart from the opera and novel section which had articles in vernacular Chinese, other sections still insisted on using written language.

As a result, The Business Daily eventually surpassed The New Gentleman in sales.

He Xinyin became even more determined to publish newspapers in vernacular Chinese. His political views were in line with those of Wang Xuetaizhou, and he paid more attention to the interests of ordinary people.
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"Grandfather, what brings you here?"

Facing Wu Qingbo Li Wei, Xiao Pang Jun put on an innocent expression.

Marquis Wuqing, Li Wei, dared not put on airs as his maternal grandfather, and bowed, saying:
"Your Highness, do you still have that miraculous medicine for increasing production that you mentioned last time?"

When his grandson promoted his miracle drug for increasing production, Wuqing Earl Li Wei dismissed it with disdain.

What could a crown prince, raised deep within the palace, possibly know about farming?
This is probably something that Tao Guan, the sorcerer who serves the Crown Prince, came up with again.

This alchemist, by the Crown Prince's side, has produced quite a few things, but as the saying goes, does the Crown Prince know more about farming than he does?
Therefore, Marquis Li Wei of Wuqing politely declined the "miracle drug" that the Crown Prince was promoting.

However, after hearing about the reward offered in the Yuefu Xinbao newspaper, Marquis Li Wei of Wuqing stormed the Eastern Palace.

The crown prince looked troubled.

Li Wei's heart skipped a beat.

All that could be heard was Hao Dasun stammering:
"The Duke of England came today to ask for it, saying he wants to participate in some kind of farming competition organized by the Yuefu Xinbao newspaper?"

Upon hearing the name of the Duke of England, Li Wei immediately became agitated.

Among the nobles of the Ming Dynasty, the Duke of Yingguo and the Duke of Weiguo were actually the leaders, while the Duke of Chengguo and the Duke of Dingguoguo should have been ranked later.

Of course, actual power also depends on personal ability and the emperor's favor. For example, the Longqing Emperor of this dynasty liked to heavily rely on the Duke of Dingguo and the Duke of Chengguo.

Duke of Yingguo, Zhang Rong, was a fourth-generation descendant of Zhang Yu, a famous general who fought in the Jingnan Campaign. Because of his participation in the Jingnan Campaign, Duke of Yingguo was often ranked first among the meritorious officials.

The current Duke of Wei, Xu Pengju, is a descendant of Xu Da, a founding hero, and his family has lived in Nanjing for generations.

However, because Xu Pengju colluded with Yan Song to embezzle military funds during the Jiajing reign, he was stripped of his title of Duke.

After Emperor Longqing ascended the throne, he pardoned his crimes and restored his title, but from then on he lived a secluded life.

However, Zhang Rong, the Duke of Yingguo, who should have been the foremost meritorious official, was not capable and had mediocre talent. He was disliked by the Jiajing and Longqing Emperors, so he usually stayed at home to enjoy wealth and rarely participated in political affairs.

Although they did not participate in political affairs, the Duke of England was still theoretically the most prestigious among the nobles in the capital, and the Zhang family had been dukes for generations, accumulating considerable wealth.

Zhang Rong and Li Wei, a duke who had enjoyed generations of wealth and power, and a maternal relative who was only granted a title because of his daughter, were inherently at odds.

The key point is that Li Wei's estate is located next to the estate of the British Duke's manor.

The two families clashed several times over land boundary demarcation and water source disputes, further straining their relationship.

Li Wei said Zhang Rong was a good-for-nothing who relied on his ancestors' legacy, while Zhang Rong said Li Wei was a rural old farmer who prospered because of his daughter.

In every aspect, Wuqing Earl Li Wei was inferior to Duke of Ying, Zhang Rong. The only thing that made him proud was that his potatoes and sweet potatoes had a bumper harvest last year, earning him a large sum of silver dollars.

Duke Zhang Rong of England also sent people to steal seeds from the Earl of Wuqing's family, but Zhang Rong's servants did not know how to grow potatoes and sweet potatoes, and the land they switched to growing last year all had poor harvests.

Because of this incident, Marquis Wuqing, Li Wei, mocked the other party for a long time.

Now that Li Wei had heard that Duke Zhang Rong of England was going to participate in the farming competition, he immediately understood what the other party was thinking.

What a fool! If he gets the prize money, won't my proud farming skills be outdone by the Duke of England's mansion?

This is absolutely not okay!
Li Wei then asked:
"Your Highness, do you still have this miracle drug for increasing production?"

The crown prince looked troubled and said:
"There are still some, but not many left."

"Even a small amount will do; please grant it to this old minister, Your Highness!"

The prince continued:

“Uncle, we are family, so of course I will help you. However, the fertilizing medicine is running low and needs to be used locally. How about this, when you start planting, I will send Tao Guan to help you apply the medicine?

Li Wei said happily:

"That would be the best!"

After Li Wei left, Tao Guan came out from behind the screen, and Little Fatty Jun asked:

"Have you remembered the instructions on how to use the fertilizing medicine that my Master Su taught you, sir?"

Tao Guan nodded repeatedly.

Fertilizers should not be used indiscriminately.

The main function of nitrogen fertilizer is to promote the growth of branches and leaves of crops, so it is used before budding and flowering, and can also be used after autumn to increase the resistance of crops.

In addition, attention should be paid to the salinity of the soil when using ammonium sulfate.

Su Ze wrote a special guide on how to use fertilizers for the Crown Prince, which Xiao Pangjun then gave to Tao Guan to study. Tao Guan treasured the book, as it not only explained how to apply fertilizers but also briefly discussed the roles of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium in plant growth.

So it turns out that "alchemy" can not only make gold, but also change plants?

Tao Guan saw a magical world beckoning to him.

"Your Highness, the Duke of England requests an audience."

Little Fatty Jun waved his hand hurriedly, and Tao Guan hid behind the screen again.

Seeing the Duke of England in a hurry, Zhu Yijun came up with another story, saying that he had just given the Earl of Wuqing a miracle drug to increase production.

The Duke of England, who had taken the bait, also asked the Crown Prince to bestow the divine medicine. Reluctantly, Little Fatty Jun used the same excuse, asking Tao Guan to guide him in fertilizing.

Duke Zhang Rong of England readily agreed and left happily.

After dismissing the Duke of England, Little Fatty Jun asked the eunuchs Zhang Hong and Tao Guan:
How did I perform?

Tao Guan immediately said:

"Your Highness's acting skills have reached a level of divine perfection! Even the actors of Chongwen Gate cannot compare to you!"

Zhang Hong felt contempt. Tao Guan actually compared His Highness to an actor. It was no wonder that he, a country bumpkin from the wilderness, didn't understand etiquette.

Little Fatty Jun was in a good mood after completing Su Ze's task, but he was quite pleased with Tao Guan's flattery.

He then suddenly asked:

"So, you've heard of the operas performed at Chongwenmen?"

Tao Guan quickly said:

"Your Highness, when I first arrived in the capital, I went to Chongwen Gate to listen to 'The Peony Pavilion,' but unfortunately I was unable to hear the entire performance."

"There are too many scenes in 'The Peony Pavilion' to listen to the whole play in three days, so most of the time the Chongwenmen Theater only performs the most famous scenes."

Little Fatty Jun sighed and said:
"I heard that the nobles and dignitaries in the capital are all vying to invite the opera troupe from Chongwen Gate to perform at their homes. Last time, when the Duke of Yingguo's father celebrated his birthday, the opera troupe performed for three days. The nobles and dignitaries in the capital were all vying to come and audition, which made the Duke of Yingguo very proud."

"It's just a pity about my mother."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Hong and Tao Guan both fell silent. If the Crown Prince dared to send the opera troupe to their door, Consort Li could storm the Eastern Palace.

Little Fatty Jun suddenly said:
"By the way, I've done Master Su such a big favor, shouldn't Master Su do me a favor in return?"

Zhang Hong and Tao Guan looked at each other, at a loss for what to do but agree with the Crown Prince.
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"If there's really nothing I can do with the Crown Prince, then I'll agree to this."

Hearing Su Ze say this, the eunuch Zhang Hong visibly breathed a sigh of relief.

He could finally go back and report to the Crown Prince.

"But this matter requires further consideration. Your Highness, please be patient and wait a while longer."

Zhang Hong also said very reasonably:
“Of course, as long as Suhanlintong lends a hand, Your Highness can wait patiently.”

After seeing Zhang Hong off, Su Ze began to think.

There aren't any national celebrations or holidays coming up recently, so we need to wait for a reason to do it.

In Su Ze's view, Xiao Pangjun is quite diligent in his studies, so it's understandable that he engages in some extracurricular activities.

It can only be said that the education of the Ming Dynasty royal family was too extreme, either completely laissez-faire or suffocatingly high-pressure.

The examples of completely laissez-faire parenting are Jiajing's parenting of Longqing, and Wanli's parenting of his son in the original timeline.

The suffocating high pressure is his own good disciple. If we're talking about having a happy childhood, the only one who probably grew up in the Xingxian Prince's Mansion is the Daoist.

It seems that childhood doesn't determine personality. Doesn't Dao Ye's personality have little to do with his childhood?

Su Ze put aside his chaotic thoughts; his memorial to the throne from a few days ago had already yielded results.

This time, Su Ze did not use the system, but the Ministry of Works also submitted a memorial requesting the court to appoint an important official to manage railway affairs.

Su Ze and the Ministry of Works' memorials passed through the cabinet without any obstacles and were quickly sent to the palace.

The Longqing Emperor also received a report on the trial operation of the railway.

The entire Fangshan Railway is about 100 kilometers long. During the trial operation, the railway company stipulated that four horses would pull four freight cars, loaded with ore, to depart from Fangshan.

Four freight cars, carrying a total of 100 shi (10 tons) of ore, were transported from Fangshan to the Beijing suburbs ironworks in eight hours.

This speed and the volume of goods transported have stunned the entire imperial court!

Eight hours seemed like a snail's pace to Su Ze, a time traveler, but in the past, such a journey would have taken at least two days by freight wagon!

Moreover, a carriage can carry about 10 shi (a unit of dry measure), meaning that if you want to transport 100 shi of goods, you need ten carriages to set off at the same time, and it will take two days to arrive.

Moreover, the cost of horse-drawn carriage transportation is very high.

Besides feeding the horses, the horse-drawn carriages also required frequent maintenance and replacement. Given the poor road conditions on the official roads of the Ming Dynasty, the wheels of the carriages had to be replaced several times for each trip. If an overturning occurred, manual loading and unloading were required, making the process extremely inefficient.

But horse-drawn railcars are different.

The tracks for horse-drawn railcars are all put into operation at once, and the new carriages do not require maintenance for the time being. The only difference is that the horses need to be replaced every two hours.

These can be done at stations along the route, and the time required is very short.

In eight hours, four horses can transport goods that would have taken ten carriages two days to transport, and the losses are almost negligible!
More importantly, the railway can run multiple trains.

Departing every half hour generally ensures a safe following distance.

Horse-drawn railcars cannot guarantee nighttime operation; that is, given the current summer length, they can only guarantee six departures a day.

When this result was placed on the emperor's desk, it was already a foregone conclusion that a senior official would be in charge of railway affairs.

The emperor and his high-ranking officials were all considering where to build a second railway!
Railways are so great!

It is foreseeable that heating will no longer be a problem in the capital this year, and the ironworks will no longer have to shut down due to people's heating needs.

In addition, the use of railways for glass transportation in Fangshan reduces losses and will further lower the price of glass.

The ironworks on the outskirts of Beijing can keep their furnaces burning non-stop, and the steel production of the Ming Dynasty is about to reach a new peak.

This time, Emperor Longqing did not hesitate and directly appointed Lei Li to be in charge of railway affairs.

Thus, Leigh became the Special Minister for Railways and Water Conservancy, specifically responsible for water conservancy and railway affairs.

This was shortly after the official appointment of the Special Minister for Railways and Water Conservancy.

On August 27, he received the first petition to build a railway.

(End of this chapter)