My father, Li Shimin, please call me Crown Prince

Chapter 167 The First Scientist of the Tang Dynasty

Wei Zheng was a little confused.

He asked, "Your Highness, I know something about fertilizer, but what does breeding mean?"

Li Chengqian was honest for once, and said with a smile: "A dragon gives birth to a dragon, and a phoenix gives birth to a phoenix. Duke Wei has heard this before, right?"

Wei Zheng nodded and said, "I've heard of it, but what does it have to do with the Agricultural College?"

Li Chengqian said, "Then Lord Wei, do you think it is possible for rice to be divided into male and female like livestock?"

Wei Zheng didn't believe it: "It's impossible."

Wei Zheng's family was poor in his early years, and he also farmed, so he was not unfamiliar with farming.

Li Chengqian continued, "Did Lord Wei ever hear of a hermaphrodite?"

Wei Zheng nodded. Although he didn't understand the meaning behind the prince's words, he also followed the prince's words and said, "I have heard that there are men and women in the world, and hermaphrodites are hermaphrodites, with both yin and yang."

Hermaphrodites have been recorded for a long time. Wei Zheng was well-read and although he had never seen one, he had heard of it.

"Your Highness, do you think that rice is hermaphroditic?"

Wei Zheng reacted quickly.

Li Chengqian said: "It's not that I feel that way, but it is just the way it is."

"Since rice is hermaphroditic, it also has reproductive inheritance. What I mean by breeding is to take good seeds and continuously cultivate and optimize them so that the new seeds can have higher yields and resist diseases and insect pests."

Wei Zheng frowned and said, "Your Highness, what you said is too bizarre. The books I have read are as vast as smoke, and I have never heard of such a thing."

Li Chengqian said: "Lord Wei has never heard of him, never seen him, does that mean he doesn't exist?"

“Is there no truth that the ancients didn’t discover?”

"What I have to do is to carry on the past and open up the future."

Upon hearing this, Wei Zheng nodded and said, "How can we do this and how can we verify it?"

Li Chengqian explained: "Assuming that rice is hermaphroditic, does it have inheritance just like humans?"

"Think about it from another angle. If an ugly man marries a beautiful woman, then the son they give birth to will no longer be ugly, right?"

This is a common thing. Wei Zheng heard it and said: "Even if it is not as ugly as my mother, it is not as ugly as my father. It is generally quite common."

Li Chengqian said: "In this case, if this child continues to marry a beautiful wife and has another child, will the child be even more beautiful?"

Wei Zheng said: "Of course it is so."

Li Chengqian continued, "It may not be obvious after two generations, but after three, four, or even five or ten generations, Duke Wei will feel that the men in this family are handsome and the women are beautiful."

Wei Zheng seemed to be thinking about something.

Li Chengqian added: "Rice also has this characteristic. Based on this situation, we continue to conduct strict screening and select those plants with large ears, full grains and good quality as parents for the next generation of breeding."

"During this selection process, those varieties that grow poorly and are susceptible to pests and diseases are eliminated, and those with better performance are retained."

"We can first set up a test field and improve it generation after generation. After several generations, we will have rice seeds that are high-yielding and less susceptible to pests and diseases."

Li Chengqian was a college student in his previous life after all. Although he didn't study very seriously, he did learn it after all.

When one's past wisdom is awakened, all the experiences from past lives are clearly remembered again.

This further enhanced Li Chengqian's understanding of knowledge.

Although I knew about hybrid rice in later generations, it was extremely difficult to pass it on to others and have them understand and accept it.

Wei Zheng was very talented, but no matter how talented he was, he knew almost nothing about modern scientific concepts such as genetics and biology.

The cultivation of hybrid rice requires delicate operations, such as emasculation and pollination.

Tweezers are easy to make by hand, but making a microscope in the Tang Dynasty is a bit ridiculous. Making a telescope is about the same, the difference in craftsmanship is too great.

When Wei Zheng heard the prince's words, he felt they were very novel and unique. He had never heard such remarks before.

If rice is really hermaphroditic as the prince said, then breeding in this way will naturally produce the best rice seeds.

"If that's the case, then the first task of the Agricultural College is breeding."

"Perhaps we can really cultivate the rice seeds that Your Highness mentioned."

Wei Zheng felt that the possibility of success was still very high, and it would not cost too much.

There are fertile fields in the East Palace, which can be used as experimental fields.

"Your Highness also mentioned fertilizer. I wonder if you have any opinions on this."

Wei Zheng had no idea how the prince suddenly understood all this knowledge, but he looked more serious about it.

Li Chengqian said: "Increasing the land's fertility, Duke Wei should know about it."

Wei Zheng replied: "I have been farming since I was young, so I know it naturally."

Li Chengqian said: "Since I was canonized as the Prince of Nongze Shengrui and the Chief of Agricultural Affairs, although it is largely an empty title, I also want to do something practical, so I made a special effort to learn more about it."

"If there are any mistakes or omissions, please check and fill them in, Lord Wei."

Wei Zheng said: "Your Highness, please explain clearly."

Li Chengqian said: "Since ancient times, there are five ways to increase soil fertility."

"One is human and animal manure, which is the most common."

"The second is stable manure, which is formed by laying hay, straw and other bedding materials in the livestock pens, mixing the feces and urine of the livestock with the bedding materials and fermenting them for a period of time."

"The manure produced by stables and cowsheds is widely used."

Wei Zheng nodded, recalling the past. This was a method taught by his ancestors. He had done this in the cowshed before, but he knew how to do it but not why.

Li Chengqian continued, "The third is green manure, which is what we call crop rotation."

Whether it is rice or other food crops, they cannot be planted continuously.

This will continuously consume the fertility of the soil, causing the land to become increasingly barren.

In China, our ancestors had already developed corresponding countermeasures for such situations.

That is crop rotation.

After rice is planted, the soil will be infested with insects and produce disease. After two rounds, it is necessary to switch to other crops.

In this way, the insects that eat rice will starve to death, the pathogenic effects of the soil on rice will also dissipate, and rice can continue to be grown.

The best crop in rotation is beans, which were called "shu" in the Tang Dynasty.

However, not all farmers grow beans. Some also grow alfalfa, sweet clover, sweet potato, etc.

In some areas, farmers plant astragalus in winter and plow it into the soil in spring to provide nutrients for crops sown in spring, thereby improving soil fertility.

From a scientific sustainability perspective, soybeans are best because they produce nodules, fix nitrogen, and release nitrogen fertilizer.

Soybeans can be eaten, so there is no need to waste them all on the land.

Wei Zheng looked much more serious. From these three aspects, it can be seen that His Royal Highness the Crown Prince really put a lot of thought into it.

"Fourth is mud and fertilizer, and fifth is plant ash."

During the winter farming off-season, farmers will organize manpower to dig mud, transport it to the fields, and apply it as base fertilizer.

In water towns, river mud and pond mud are one of the important sources of fertilizer.

Burning straw is a traditional practice. Crop straw, branches, weeds, etc. are burned to obtain wood ash, which is then spread directly on the farmland.

Wood ash from stoves can also be collected and used for fertilizer.

Wei Zheng stood up and bowed: "Your Highness is so concerned about agricultural affairs, it is a blessing for the people of the Tang Dynasty."

"The five points you have mentioned fully summarize what farmers use, and I have nothing to add."

In Wei Zheng's mind, since ancient times, as long as the emperor cared about farming, the country would be strong.

Emperor Wen of Han, the idol of many emperors, cared most about farming.

If agriculture is stable, the country will be stable and the state will be strong.

Li Chengqian continued: "So, I was wondering if we could combine them to make a better fertilizer."

This is just making up an excuse.

Fertilizers are of great significance to agricultural production. If Li Chengqian could make fertilizers now, the people of the Tang Dynasty would be able to have enough food to eat. However, it requires sophisticated instruments and equipment. Without high-temperature and high-pressure reactors, precise measuring instruments and other equipment, it is difficult to synthesize fertilizers.

Synthetic ammonia is an important production method for modern nitrogen fertilizers, which requires reactions under high temperature and high pressure, conditions that are simply impossible to achieve today.

Even if Li Chengqian knew the process, it would be meaningless.

But you can settle for the next best thing and make organic fertilizer.

Wei Zheng asked, "What does your Highness mean?"

Li Chengqian said: "Combining manure with wood ash, and perhaps adding some animal bone meal, may have a better effect than either alone."

"The proportions and effects of these will need to be tried one by one by the Agricultural College."

There is no point in explaining nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.

Composting can produce a certain amount of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Adding wood ash can adjust the pH value of the compost and promote the activity of microorganisms.

Bone meal obtained after calcining animal bones contains a certain amount of phosphorus and can be used as a substitute for phosphate fertilizer.

Wood ash is rich in potassium.

This is a simple version of organic fertilizer.

Coupled with soybean rotation and breeding, Tang Dynasty agriculture is bound to prosper.

After listening to this, Wei Zheng fell into deep thought and remained silent for a long time.

Then he sighed, "What His Royal Highness the Crown Prince said to me today made me think of someone."

"I think he will be more suitable to control the Agricultural College than I am."

Li Chengqian was somewhat curious and asked, "Who is Lord Wei talking about?"

Wei Zheng said: "The Doctor of the Imperial Academy, Li Chunfeng."

"Your Majesty once issued an edict to let me compile the "Book of Sui". I once met Li Chunfeng and was shocked by his knowledge, just as I am today."

In the third year of Zhenguan, Li Shimin ordered the compilation of history books of the previous dynasties, and Wei Zheng was the person in charge of the compilation of "Book of Sui".

In the 15th year of Zhenguan, Li Shimin ordered Yu Zhining, Li Chunfeng, Wei Anren, Li Yanshou and others to compile "History of Five Dynasties", which was later incorporated into "Book of Sui".

It was at that time that Wei Zheng met Li Chunfeng.

Li Chengqian naturally knew Li Chunfeng, the greatest scientist of the Tang Dynasty, an astronomer, mathematician, and Yi scholar. He was proficient in astronomy, calendar calculation, yin and yang, and Taoism. He was well versed in literature, science, agriculture, and medicine.

His most famous achievement is the "Tui Bei Tu" he wrote with Yuan Tiangang.

"Is Li Chunfeng back?"

Li Chengqian asked.

Last year, because of the Taibai Jinxing incident, Li Chengqian asked Du He to go to Langya.

Li Shimin took the prophecy that the Tang Dynasty would change its ruler for the third time very seriously and sent Yuan Tiangang and Li Chunfeng to the southwest.

Although Li Chengqian really wanted to call Li Chunfeng back, Li Shimin would definitely not allow it before this happened.

Li Chengqian was not in a hurry. Even according to the historical process, Li Chunfeng could still live for another 27 years.

Wei Zheng said, "He should have been back for a few days. I got the news that Li Chunfeng was asking about the Tiangong Kaiwu compiled by the Eastern Palace and he must be eager to join in."

Li Chengqian frowned and said to the eunuch Wen Zhong: "I asked you to keep an eye on Li Chunfeng, why didn't you tell me the news in time?"

The eunuch Wen Zhong hurriedly said, "Please forgive me, Your Highness."

Wei Zheng then spoke up for the eunuch Wen Zhong, saying, "Your Highness, don't blame Eunuch Wen. After Li Chunfeng returned to Chang'an, he hadn't yet reported to the Imperial History Bureau. It's normal that Eunuch Wen didn't know about it."

"I only learned about this when a colleague mentioned it."

Donggong compiled Tiangong Kaiwu, which was naturally very tempting for Li Chunfeng, who was well-versed in literature, science, agriculture and medicine.

But because of his low official position, he could not enter the Eastern Palace, so he could only ask someone for permission.

Li Chengqian didn't know whether to laugh or cry. He didn't expect the situation to be like this.

Wei Zheng went on to say: "Li Chunfeng is very knowledgeable, especially in agriculture and medicine. I request that Li Chunfeng be transferred to the East Palace to participate in compiling the Tiangong Kaiwu and take charge of the Agricultural College."

Li Chengqian nodded and instructed the eunuch Wen Zhong, "Pass on my order to summon Li Chunfeng to the East Palace for an audience immediately."

"Go there in person and pick up Li Chunfeng."

The eunuch Wen Zhong hurriedly said, "Yes, Your Highness."

at the same time.

Helan Chushi stood behind the gate and looked back at the gate of the mansion.

He finally came out.

Ever since the incident in Pingkangfang, after being released from the Dali Temple, I have been locked up at home.

Helan Chushi is not considered a live-in son-in-law, as Hou Junji has his own son.

After marrying Hou Changyan, Hou Junji bought a house for her.

The house is in Shengyefang, which is quite close to the East Palace.

Unless there is something important, Helan Chushi usually goes back home to sleep.

After staying at home for a few months, the first thing he did when he went out was to report to the East Palace.

After getting on the carriage, we headed towards the East Palace.

However, the carriage stopped just after leaving the workshop.

"What's going on?" Helan Chushi frowned.

The driver replied: "Someone stopped the car."

Helan Chushi pushed open the car curtain, and the person who stopped the car had already walked over.

"General Helan, my young master wants to see you."

The man was dressed like a servant, but his clothes were expensive.

Helan Chushi frowned and asked, "Who is your young master?"

The visitor said, "The eldest son of the Lu family of Fanyang."

Helan Chushi said in a deep voice: "I didn't beat Lu Sili to death. Hasn't this matter been concluded?"

"What does Lu Zhijie mean? Is he going to keep nagging about this matter?"

As the eldest son of Fanyang Lu family, Lu Zhijie has a great reputation, and Helan Chushi is naturally no stranger to him.

The visitor said, "Sir, you naturally don't want to see General Helan because of this matter, but for other matters."

"what's up?"

"General Helan will know once he goes there."

Helan Chushi said coldly: "If that's the case, then there's no need to meet."

As the son-in-law of Hou Junji and the chief of the Eastern Palace, Lu from Fanyang has a great reputation, but he is not afraid.

Seeing this, the visitor said calmly, "General Helan, don't you want to think about why Madam Hou let you go?"

"My son has made a lot of efforts in this."

Helan Chushi's expression became uncertain when he heard this.

He didn't quite believe this statement, but the name of Fanyang Lu family was still very credible.

After some consideration, he said, "Lead the way."

The servant also breathed a sigh of relief. If Helan Chushi didn't go with him, there was nothing he could do.

He mounted his horse and led the way into Chongrenfang.

After walking around several streets, we arrived at a teahouse.

At the entrance of the teahouse, Lu Zhijie saw Helan Chushi with a smile on his face, and bowed and saluted: "I am Lu Zhijie, and I am honored to meet General Helan."

(End of this chapter)