At that moment, Chongzhen said to Chen Zilong: "Chen Zilong, spring plowing has begun. The most important thing for you now is to do a good job in the selection and breeding of sweet potatoes, cereals and potatoes, and to cultivate grain seeds with higher yields per mu as soon as possible."

"I accept the decree." Chen Zilong said solemnly, "I will do my best to select and breed the seeds."

Chongzhen then said to Du Yinxi who was accompanying him: "Qing Du, remember to plant more peppers."

"I accept the order." Du Yinxi responded respectfully, "I will ask Xuzhou soldiers to plant more peppers."

Chongzhen did not explain too much to Du Yinxi what the purpose of letting Xuzhou Zhentai grow peppers.

In fact, chili peppers have many uses. In addition to being directly used as biochemical weapons, they can also be used as condiments in the Ming army's rations. The taste with chili peppers and without chili peppers is completely different. The key is that they can also keep out the cold.

It won't take long for the Ming Dynasty to definitely send troops to Liaodong, Mobei and even Siberia.

In that icy and snowy environment, it would be unimaginable without high-quality white wine and chili pepper to keep out the cold.

Chongzhen took Chen Zilong, Liu Rushi and his wife, talking and walking, and soon came to a fort beside the official road.

This is also a standard fort with three hundred households of soldiers living there. Since it is already early April, the soldiers and relatives of this fort have already started plowing in the spring.

I saw fields covered with green grass, filled with soldiers carrying rakes or leading oxen.

In addition to the soldiers, there were also many peasant women carrying baskets, many of them with big bellies, and some of them were carrying baskets on their backs, with a small baby lying in the baskets.

From time to time, the cry of a baby could be heard on the wind.

Recalling the scene when I passed through Xuzhou in early April of the 17th year of Chongzhen's reign, it seems as if it had been a century ago.

At that time, Xuzhou was really lifeless. There was not even a living figure on the official road. I finally saw a few refugees, but most of them looked dull and had withered faces.

As for the smoke from the kitchen, you can't even see it at all.

Only when we arrived at the county seat did we feel a little angry.

However, in just the past three years, Xuzhou has been completely different.

Ridge after ridge of cultivated land has returned, the farmer carrying the plow and the old ox has returned, and the peasant woman with a big belly and a baby in a basket has also returned, and everything is full of vitality.

In fact, it’s not just Xuzhou, Guide and Kaifeng.

The situation in the eight prefectures and one state in Jiangna is even better than here.

It is completely foreseeable that there will be a baby boom this year.

However, there will still be some dissatisfaction. When passing the next fortress, I saw a family holding a funeral from a distance. I sent someone to inquire and found out that the daughter-in-law of this family had just died. One body and two lives.

After hearing this, Chongzhen sighed and turned to Du Yinxi and said: "Qing Du, I will go and tell Fu Shan later and ask him to send a group of teachers and students from the medical school to come to Xuzhou Zhentai to open a hospital first.

You can ignore it for now, but we must ensure the safety of the mother and child as much as possible."

"Thank you, Your Majesty." Du Yinxi was overjoyed when he heard this.

Du Yinxi had long heard that the teachers and students of the medical school had opened a hospital in Nanjing, which treated various patients in different categories. In particular, the obstetrics and gynecology department in the hospital was specially designed to treat pregnant women with difficult labor and saved many mothers.

Du Yinxi was thinking about how to talk to Chongzhen, but he didn't expect that Chongzhen would mention it first.

Chongzhen then said: "Qing Du, your Xuzhou town has no combat missions in recent years. It is mainly farming, and trying to grow as many types of sweet potatoes, cereals and potatoes as possible to prepare for the next step of promoting planting on a large scale across the country."

"I would like to accept the order." Du Yinxi bowed his hands and said, "I will personally supervise the matter of growing grain."

As he was talking, a fast horse suddenly galloped from the direction of Shandong and started shouting from a distance: "Urgent news from Dagukou, urgent news from Dagukou!"

Shandong Governor Wang Jiayan and Shandong Admiral Hu Xinshui learned that Chongzhen was in Xuzhou.

The navy report sent from Dengzhou Guard was directly sent to Xuzhou.

After reading the urgent delivery from the Shandong Chief Envoy, Chongzhen was immediately overjoyed.

Let me report: After my son was positive three days ago, my wife was positive yesterday, and I am probably positive too. It’s just that the symptoms are not obvious for the time being, but I don’t know how long it will last. In addition, because I have to take care of my mother and I, I definitely can’t guarantee tomorrow.
Chapter completed!