Three Kingdoms: My Strategy Simulator

Just then, a burst of hurried footsteps sounded.

This caused both Liu Bei and Li Ji to turn their gazes in that direction.

Usually, when communicating with Li Ji, Liu Bei disliked being disturbed by outsiders.

As time went on, the guards and servants in Liu Bei's residence became aware of this rule, so not to mention other trivial matters, even Madam Gan would not come to disturb him at this time.

“Lord, urgent report.”

Xiahou Bo stood at the entrance of the small courtyard, seemingly suppressing some agitated emotions.

This made Liu Bei and Li Ji exchange a glance, feeling somewhat strange.

With the arrival of the autumn harvest season and the approaching snowy winter, the situation in the Great Han, which had been turbulent for nearly a year, had begun to enter a brief period of calm.

Logically speaking, there shouldn't be any urgent reports.

“Come in.”

Liu Bei, feeling quite puzzled, immediately spoke.

Immediately, Xiahou Bo strode in, and while saluting Liu Bei and Li Ji, he suppressed his agitated tone and replied.

“The people who went to the south of Jiaozhou to find rice seeds have returned, and they seem to have found the high-yield rice that Marquis Guoshi spoke of.”

“What?!”

At that moment, Liu Bei almost abruptly stood up, his eyes revealing a look of excitement.

Regarding the search for rice seeds, in the second year of Zhongping when Liu Bei initially took control of Wu County, Li Ji began sending people to search for potentially existing high-yield rice within Wu County.

To no avail.

After successfully promoting the construction of seagoing ships, they began to spare no effort to continuously search for high-yield rice seeds all the way south, and Li Ji, based on his memory and some records of this era, judged that there should be high-yield rice in the area south of Jiaozhou.

It can be said that in recent years, the search for high-yield rice has been their top priority, with continuous efforts over the years, and the personnel sent overseas totaled one to two thousand people.

After repeatedly receiving news of failure, this was the first time Liu Bei had heard of success, so how could he not be overjoyed and immediately ask urgently.

“Where are the people? Where is the rice?”

“They are waiting outside,” Xiahou Bo replied.

“Then what are you waiting for? Quickly let them in…”

Liu Bei said, but felt that it was still too slow, and lifting the hem of his clothes that was somewhat in the way, he took the initiative to walk towards the outside of the courtyard.

However, after taking two steps, Liu Bei suddenly turned around, pulled up Li Ji, who was slowly getting up, and walked out of the small courtyard together.

“Slow down, slow down, Lord.”

Li Ji, who was almost dragged out, repeatedly reminded Liu Bei, but obviously it didn't have much effect.

Li Ji knew the answer, so he was verifying the solution step by step, understanding that there must be high-yield rice south of Jiaozhou, and finding high-yield rice was only a matter of time, so he was not considered excited.

But for Liu Bei, it was a feeling of constantly sending people to search with a worried mood, praying to heaven for the sake of the people countless times over the years, hoping to find high-yield rice as soon as possible.

Now, there were finally results, how could he not let excitement completely fill Liu Bei's chest.

High-yield rice!

Even if the yield of rice, such as the rice that has been initially promoted in Yangzhou, is increased by 30%, judging from the potential of farmland in Yangzhou, continuing to reclaim land for a few more years can support millions more people.

Once it is gradually promoted in Jiaozhou, which is more suitable for planting rice, perhaps it can support nearly ten million more people.

Being dragged all the way out by Liu Bei, he soon saw a man standing outside waiting, wearing coarse linen clothes and with a face full of wind and frost.

In the man's hand, he was also holding a rice plant on a tray.

After seeing Liu Bei and Li Ji, a look of crystal clearness and excitement appeared in the man's eyes, and he knelt down to Liu Bei and Li Ji from afar, saying.

“Greetings, Lord, Master Zikun.”

After Liu Bei dragged Li Ji closer, his attention was completely attracted by the rice plant on the tray.

The rice plant was obviously not fully ripe, and it was basically dried, and the rice ears hanging on it were still quite small, and overall, it could still be distinguished as a greenish color with a little golden yellow.

Liu Bei carefully picked up the rice plant and counted the number of rice grains on it one by one.

After counting the first time, Liu Bei's pupils slightly contracted, and he endured the excitement and counted a second time, and even a third time…

At this moment, Liu Bei's face turned red, and his breathing became extremely heavy.

As a person from the bottom, Liu Bei is not saying that he is extremely proficient in farming, but he undoubtedly knows how much grain can be produced per mu of land and how many rice grains are generally on a rice plant.

Even during the planting season, Liu Bei would personally go to the fields to cultivate a few mu of land as a demonstration for subordinate officials and the people.

Therefore, Liu Bei almost instantly estimated the approximate range of the increase in yield per mu after this rice plant matured.

“Thirty percent! Thirty percent!! Zikun!”

Liu Bei said to Li Ji somewhat incoherently, but Li Ji easily understood that what Liu Bei was referring to was the increase in yield per mu.

Immediately, Li Ji took the rice plant from Liu Bei's hand, and Xiahou Bo, who was next to him, also brought a lamp from the side so that Li Ji could see the rice plant more clearly.

Just from the surface, Li Ji really couldn't tell whether this was the "Champa rice" in his memory.

But if it is really Champa rice, Li Ji is very clear that its greatest advantage is not yield, but the short growth cycle, which is different from the six-month growth cycle required for the japonica rice that is now beginning to be popularized. Champa rice only needs a hundred days to mature.

Therefore, if Champa rice is fully promoted, it is not impossible for the Yangzhou area to completely realize two harvests a year, and even three harvests a year in areas such as Jiaozhou.

If Li Ji remembers correctly, the population of the Song Dynasty in the original trajectory was able to break through from the peak of 80 million in the Tang Dynasty to 100 million, and Champa rice can be said to have made great contributions.

In addition, Champa rice does not have the relatively harsh planting conditions of other rice, and has considerable drought resistance, and can be planted and survive regardless of soil fertility.

While Li Ji's attention was on this rice plant, Liu Bei noticed that the great hero who had retrieved the rice seeds was still kneeling on the ground saluting, and quickly helped him up.

Only after seeing the face of the person in front of him, Liu Bei hesitated slightly and asked.

“Liu Ji?”

Liu Ji replied with a face full of excitement. “Liu Ji has not failed the grace of the Lord and Master Zikun, and finally… finally found the rice seeds.”

At this moment, Liu Bei's eyes were also full of emotion, and he reached out and patted Liu Ji's shoulder heavily.

Liu Ji is also a member of the Taoyuan group. Unlike the personalities of the other children, Liu Ji has always been a silent and resilient type who is not good at communicating with people.

(End of this chapter)