Chapter 416: Thriving

Alien, Northland, Rich and Strong.
The barren fields dug crisscross fire trenches. More than a thousand farmers stood on either side of the ditch.
A foreman sipped a few times to remind everyone to pay attention, and then threw a torch behind the fire ditch.
Behind the ditch is perennial grassy land. The sturdy stems can even be more than one person tall.
The grass is often a paradise for snakes and mosquitoes, and occasionally birds.
Zhou Qingfeng stood on the mound piled up behind the fire ditch and looked at the surrounding area for several kilometers.
This piece of land is without land, and there has been no clear ownership in the past. But from now on, it will set up a boundary monument, which belongs to the ‘rich and strong collar’.
The reason for not belonging is because it is a low-lying flooded area. It is neither farmable nor habitable.
As far as agricultural civilization is concerned, it is not enough to have less water, nor is it too much.
For example, the American continent in the real world has a large number of endless plains that seem to have superior natural conditions.
But until the advent of industrialized Europeans, they could not develop them, and the Native Americans could only hunt.
The reason is that the construction of water conservancy is also a technical activity, and the level of civilization is too low to do it.
The fire ditch is also a drainage ditch. Relying on the popularity of a large number of metal tools, peasants of 'rich and strong collars' can efficiently carry out ground construction.
After the water in the low-lying land was drained away, the originally lush weeds gradually withered.
A fire went in, and there was a raging flame in the grass.
Numerous snakes and rats flee, and many farmers are busy catching them.
Zhou Qingfeng looked coldly and did not stop.
Because the food of 'Fu Qiangling' has always been insufficient, anything that can be eaten will not be wasted.
"Old Borg." Zhou Qingfeng shouted back to the gnome witch doctor, "Remember to prevent epidemics. Things in the wilderness are always not so clean."
The gnome witch doctor responded impatiently, "I know, I know. You say this three times a day."
The mounds are piled up in open fields, next to the newly built gravel road.
The road is about three meters wide, and the building materials are obtained on site, which seems very rough.
Several mules pulled the stone to roll back and forth on the road to ensure the ground was strong and durable.
This road is the fruit of thousands of labors for 'rich and strong leaders' over the past three months. It connects the territory with the city of Frigid Winds and is considered one of the best roads in the area.
The pavement is slightly higher than the ground, and drainage ditches have been repaired on the side to ensure that the rain will not cause the subgrade to soak.
Roadside mounds are dedicated to maintenance.
New four-wheeled heavy-duty carriages ran on the road, bringing tools and supplies to the road repair team.
A distance to the north along the road, irrigation ditches are being constructed on the burnt-out land to level the ridges.
Do you think this is a field towards happiness?
wrong!
The exile from the north has a great lesson for Uncle Zhou!
He always thought that as long as he convened the farmer, he could work with the farm animals. But this is obviously wrong.
Knowledge of agricultural farming also needs to be passed on. However, the farmers in Cold Wind City used to rely on the sky to eat, and they did not have the idea of ​​intensive cultivation.
Many refugees do not know anything at all, just like the black uncle in Africa, just sprinkle some seeds into the fields and wait for harvest.
In addition, the displaced people do not like farming at all. In their culture, being a farmer is a fruitless performance, but being a robber is a serious profession.
The collision of cultures gave Zhou Qingfeng a headache. Computer :: /
The ‘rich and strong leader’ has gathered more than 10,000 refugees at most, but only three or five thousand will remain after three months.
The remaining four or five thousand are like ‘Three and Great Gods’. I like to play for three days a day and only accept short-term employment.
The rest are those who are loitering, and the rest is a bandit.
In order to deal with this group of guys can be strenuous, it is more strenuous than dealing with the cold wind city powers.
For adventurous tramps, Zhou Qingfeng can only make heavy money and encourage them to explore the Black Forest for ‘love and dreams’.
Most of those guys will return to nature as feces of wolves and goblins.
As for those willing to do farm work, Zhou Qingfeng had to use a whip and a wolf dog to teach them how to live like individuals.
Reclamation, plowing, sowing, weeding, irrigation, fertilizing, exterminating, harvesting.
Zhou Qingfeng flipped through agricultural books by himself, only to find that farming also contains a lot of knowledge and technology, which need to be learned and accumulated.
The soil in the north is actually very fertile, and the surrounding cold wind city is a typical black land.
Although there is little accumulated temperature and sunshine every year, only one season crop can be planted. But as long as you cultivate well, the yield per mu can be increased from sixty to seventy kilograms to more than two hundred kilograms.
Such a good land has never been properly used in the hands of the local nobles.
Noble men in the city will never come to inspect the farmland. They will only send soldiers and tax officers at harvest time, and do nothing else.
"It's a waste." Zhou Qingfeng walked along the road just repaired. Looking at the busy farmer in the vast fields, he felt both contentment and pity.
"The local indigenous people must be taught how to grow vegetables. They are too lazy. Soybeans are planted first for farmers to practice their skills. Higher yield wheat can be grown next year."
Soybeans are easy to grow and do not require much field management, but the yield per mu is low. Wheat is just the opposite.
Rubio followed Zhou Qingfeng, nodded and noted his master's instructions.
Off the road, go forward along the ditch. A dam has begun to take shape. Stones were transported by heavy-duty carriages, which were specially used for dam construction.
This is a very simple water storage project, which can only raise the river surface by about 1.5 meters. However, the drop of five meters is enough to irrigate thousands of acres of newly reclaimed farmland. ::
A diversion canal and a mill were built next to the dam. A large waterwheel lifted the river water by another three meters and flowed to the core manor of 'Fu Qiangling' by means of the overhead canal under construction.
These vast projects have never been before. Just building these gadgets brings together half of the craftsmen in Coldwind City, plus the repeated training of Hilly and Strange Maids.
This is a challenge for everyone in the territory.
Anyone involved in the project will be amazed from the bottom of their hearts, feeling that ordinary people can do things that are difficult for noble masters and even wizards.
When Zhou Qingfeng walked by, farmers and craftsmen bowed naturally to worship. Since following this strange lord, people have seen a different way of life.
In the past, lords always used whip and swearing to manage slaves, but it was actually a mess.
Master Hugo likes to reason, and has perfect regulations and rewards.
The foreman cannot dispose of his own at will.
The life safety of ordinary farmers can be guaranteed to the minimum.
Residents don't have to see the lord to be anxious, for fear that the master will be unhappy and kill themselves.
But the whip and wolf dog must be indispensable. If it is missing, it may be ‘the liberation of the turning serfs and welcome the workers and peasants’ family ’.
The bottom layer here is such a contradiction. They are the humblest, they are the most foolish, and they are the most hateful.
"Master, our food consumption this month is over 20%. But the trade volume has tripled." Rubio saw Zhou Qingfeng in a good mood and reported a few words.
"Our heavy-duty carriage is very good, and we can bring more goods with less manpower and time. Everyone is willing to do business with 'Harmonious Business'."
In merchandise trade, transportation costs often account for 50% to 90% of the total cost.
Heavy-duty carriages using bearings, springs, and metal axles can reduce transportation costs by at least half.
The advantage in this regard is even to the extent that 'quantitative change causes qualitative change'.
The merchants of Cold Wind City both love the cheap goods that are constantly being delivered by the Harmonious Chamber of Commerce, and are afraid of the terrible transportation capacity of the wealthy and strong collar.
"Is there any news over the long-legged family?" Zhou Qingfeng asked.
Rubio shook his head. "No special news.
Long-legged homes were extremely protective against us at the beginning, but it didn't take long for them to open up business. Because they themselves can't stand the severance of the goods brought about by the border blockade.
Some businessmen say long-legged families are hiring adventurers and reorganizing the army. But the news has not been confirmed. "
Zhou Qingfeng turned around at the dam site and whistled back on the road.
‘Sheng Ying’ ran over from the other side, carrying his master back to the manor house.
A hydraulic sawmill and a hydraulic blower are being built near the manor, and a taller and larger ironmaking furnace has been largely repaired.
The second hydraulic forging machine was built first. The main reason is that its key components are provided by Zhou Qingfeng, which saves a lot of work for artisans.
The forging hammer is improved from 20 kg to 100 kg, and the stability is much better. The forging machine will stop for maintenance.
This is all thanks to the hard work of book charm and mechanical magic.
Territory development is booming, and Zhou Qingfeng has the energy to consider other issues.