There are advantages and disadvantages in the world. The Bian River connects the Central Plains and the Jianghuai River, allowing the capital to obtain a steady supply of grain from the Jianghuai River and Zhejiang, ensuring food for more than one million people, including officials and the army. However, it also causes grain and rice from the Jiangnan grain producing areas to enter the Central Plains at a very low price, seriously affecting the grain production in the two capitals.

The land in the south of the Yangtze River was fertile, and rice and wheat were harvested again in another year, and the grain price was far lower than that in other places. The quality and output of the Central Plains were incomparable at all. In addition, the wars in the Five Dynasties, the population withered, and the flooding of the Yellow River made the land barren. The Central Plains, the once essence of the world, was no longer the same as the prosperous Han Dynasty. At this time, the wilderness was thousands of miles away.

The two capitals and imperial tombs extracted a large amount of manpower, and the grain from the Bian River crushed the grain prices, which made the recovery of agricultural production in Kaifeng Prefecture and Jingdong West Road has been slow. The surrounding agriculture could not develop, and the court relied more on grain and rice transported from the canal. The more grain and rice transported from the canal, the more difficult it would be to develop surrounding agriculture, forming a vicious cycle. Relatively speaking, Jingdong Road was less affected and agricultural production recovered faster.

The north is not as good as the south, and the west is not as good as the east. It is the current economic structure of the Song Dynasty, which is quite similar to Xu Ping's previous life. But unlike his previous life, the political and military focus at this time was all concentrated in the north, and the market was also in the north.

The East and West Second Beijing, Kaifeng and Luoyang are undoubtedly the two largest cities in the world and the largest consumer market. However, this consumer market has not cultivated the surrounding industries, which has caused many problems.

The more the two capitals develop, the more they rely on Jiangnan canal transport. The developed canal transport suppresses local industries and hollows out the foundation of the Central Plains. In terms of the national pattern, this is an irreconcilable contradiction.

Xu Ping had vaguely felt this problem before, but now when Wang Su asked, everything suddenly became clear.

The canal transportation could only be a supplement, but it developed into a lifeline, which is wrong. To resolve or at least to ease this contradiction, the Central Plains region must cultivate its roots and try to restore it to its former appearance. Not to mention that it is comparable to the Han Dynasty, it must at least reach the level of the Sui Dynasty, and rely on the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River to support the two capitals.

These new agricultural tools that improve production efficiency happen to play this role. The land in the Central Plains is flat, which is conducive to the use of animal power instead of manpower, and the use of new agricultural tools to cultivate. Promotion may not be a means to reduce food costs. Maybe agricultural production will usher in a bright day.

Wang Su didn't expect Xu Ping to think so much, and nodded: "If so, you can buy some new agricultural tools and buy some idle fields in the surrounding counties, which can be considered a property to make a living. Recently, in the book published by the Imperial College, it has repeatedly commented that the court officials' families should not open the warehouse in the capital. This is the general trend, and the imperial court will sooner or later ban it."

The database is roughly equivalent to pawnshops in later generations, implying a loan shark nature, and officials cannot engage in the loan shark industry according to law. However, this is a fast money-making and no risk. When you sit in the business of collecting money, many of the big households in the capital have opened it, and the court turned a blind eye. Now that they are targeted by the Imperial College and the civic ministers in the Pavilion, it has suddenly become a hot topic and the discussion is quite enthusiastic. According to the previous method, the people in the mansion could be allowed to operate and remove themselves, but since the case of fraud in the three companies and officials has also restricted the business operations. Wang Su and other wealthy families have to think of another way.

There are still a lot of vacant land in the counties around Kaifeng City, and the price is not expensive. As long as there is manpower, buying and building a farm is indeed a good choice. However, it is more investment in the early stage, so it is difficult for a family to make it even if it is not a big family.

In the shop north of the city, Zeng Gongliang took his younger brother and his servant around the place where the farm tools were sold, but found that although these farm tools were easy to use, they were not very practical for their hometown.

Fujian Road is narrow and densely populated, and Jinjiang is even more mountainous, and the plot is not large. Using new agricultural tools can indeed save labor and labor, but how much benefits does it have to the mountains? All the labor saved is to transport agricultural tools up and down.

Zeng Gongliang's younger brother saw his brother frowning and not talking, and couldn't help but ask, "Why, brother thinks these are bad? Then do we still buy them? It's dawn and there are more and more people."

After thinking for a while, Zeng Gongliang made up his mind and said, "Don't buy these, let's look at other things. When you go back this trip, remember to go and go quickly after you go back. I guess that with these farm tools, I can get the land around Kaifeng City. With this trip, I have the capital in my hand, and I also pay attention in the capital to see if there is any suitable place to buy."

"Why do my brother think so? We are from Quanzhou, so we buy land here. Can we still settle down in Kaifeng City?"

"I can really settle down here, but it's a good thing I can't ask for! If you don't say anything else, it's much easier to get a Jinshi, and it's much better than crossing a single-plank bridge at home! Well, don't talk about these, just take a step by step. I won't buy farm tools. Let's go to the pavilion over there to see if there are any valuable and light goods."

Fujian Road and Jiangnan Road are places with developed cultures. The development test is not much easier than the provincial test. It is difficult to go to Kaifeng Prefecture to participate in the imperial examinations countless times. In the past, every inch of land was valuable in the capital, but it was not easy for officials to settle down in the capital, but it was much easier to go to the surrounding counties.

It was almost noon. Wang Su looked at the bustling heads around him and frowned: "There are too many messy people waiting for, but it makes people feel upset. Don't fight at this moment, Yunxing, let's go out to find a restaurant for a drink. Everyone who is far away has gone, and the shop is empty before coming back to see it."

Xu Ping thought differently from Wang Su. What he wanted was lively, but Wang Su mentioned it and it was difficult to refuse, so he agreed.

The two walked side by side, and Wang Su said as she walked, "Let me tell me how the farm opened. I think your farm not only grows rice and wheat, but also grows various forage grass, and also raises cattle and sheep. Cattle and sheep are expensive and are more powerful than growing food, right? If you raise some good horses, the profit will be even greater."

Xu Ping shook his head: "Horse and sheep can be raised, but cattle cannot be raised. Usually, they are not worried and cannot be sold at the price. In fact, they are raising money. The cattle raised in my farm are used to plow the land, so they have to be raised."

Wang Su said "Oh" and nodded to show that he understood. The transaction of cattle is limited by the official price. If you raise it around Kaifeng, it must be a loss-making product. The cattle here are sold from other places, and only those who have to farm can raise it.

The two of them just walked to the door of the shop, but heard someone calling Xu Ping behind them.

Turning around, he saw the manager who was in charge of the shop running over panting and greeted Xu Ping: "Second envoy, I just collected a post and asked the shop to clear the people out. Two hours later, the palace will come to purchase goods. What should I do?"

After hearing this, Xu Ping's face changed color. Today is the opening day. How can we clear the people and let some big names come to visit the mall? Wouldn't it ruin the reputation of Sansi?

After reaching out, Xu Ping said: "Give me a post and see who is so popular!"

The supervisor handed over the post and whispered: "Don't worry, the deputy envoy also has the name of the old lady on it."

After hearing this, Xu Ping was stunned. Since he was promoted to the garrison, his father Xu Zheng has also risen with the flow of water. Now outsiders have called him Xu Taigong. With the light of Xu Ping, Xu Zheng is now a well-known figure in the capital. But what day is today? What kind of time is he going to get involved!

...
Chapter completed!