"Come on, tell me, where is it? Where is that land?" Lu Su rubbed his hands together, his excitement almost overflowing, his face full of anticipation.
"Don't get too excited, it's still far from us," Jia Xu said as he tapped his empty wine cup. Instantly, Lu Su got the hint and refilled Jia Xu's cup with wine.
"I'm interested as well," Li You said, his expression calm, though his tightly clenched fists betrayed his inner thoughts. He knew exactly what five million qing of fertile land would mean for the current Han Dynasty. "During my years of traveling across the empire, I don't recall there being so much fertile land anywhere."
"Heh heh," Chen Xi's face twitched slightly, realizing that both Li You and Lu Su, with their sharp ears and keen minds, had caught onto the discussion.
"First, let me tell you that this land is currently in Yuan Benchu's territory, though he hasn't discovered it yet," Jia Xu said calmly. He clearly didn't consider the Wuhuan or Xianbei tribes as any real threat, or even as proper enemies.
"Yuan Benchu," Li You and Lu Su exchanged glances, and they both saw the spark in each other's eyes. "We now have another reason why we must defeat him. Tell us more about the location—I'm very interested. It's best to plan early."
"The land lies north of Youzhou, in the area currently inhabited by the Wuhuan and Xianbei tribes—a region of lush grasslands," Jia Xu replied, his tone steady.
"The climate will be an issue, but if the land is truly fertile, millet could be cultivated there," Lu Su, who now had some experience with agriculture, mused aloud. "Qu Hanmo has been researching cold-resistant crops."
The others turned to Chen Xi, who nodded and said, "I had him research cold-resistant millet. That land can sustain one harvest per year without issue, and because the soil is rich, even primitive farming methods like slash-and-burn agriculture could yield fifty percent more than the Central Plains. I can guarantee the five million qing of fertile land is real."
"The biggest challenge will be getting the people to settle there. The bitter cold of the north will make it hard for people to live there—that's the real issue," Li You frowned. "Wool clothing could help, but five million qing is a vast area. We'll need to relocate at least ten million people. Do we have enough warm clothing for that many?"
"Hanmo, come here, I need you," Chen Xi called out to Qu Qi, who was nearby eating. "Wenru needs to ask you about winter clothing. Show him what you've got."
Qu Qi frowned slightly as he walked over. After a brief greeting, he sat down across from them.
"Hanmo, do you have anything to help the people withstand the cold?" Lu Su asked, getting straight to the point. This was a crucial issue.
"I do. I've already mastered a cultivation method. I was planning to report it to Lord Xuande in a while. It's ten times warmer than hemp and can rival wool, but with a much higher yield," Qu Qi said flatly, though his words struck the others like a thunderclap.
"Amazing," Lu Su praised, looking at Qu Qi, then turned to Chen Xi. "Impressive—planning three steps ahead. It seems you're well-prepared. Hanmo, how long will it take to produce enough for a million people?"
"A million?" Qu Qi's face twitched. Such a large number right from the start—Lu Su's grand scale of thinking certainly fit someone used to overseeing projects involving tens of thousands of people.
"Yes, we'll need at least a million in the initial phase. More will follow," Li You nodded in agreement.
They all had immense confidence in Qu Qi's ability to develop new crops and resources. After all, Zhao Yun had been able to leave his post because Qu Qi had taken over his duties, boosting food production by thirty to fifty percent. During festivals, the people even placed offerings to Qu Qi on their altars, truly embodying the phrase "people live by food."
"It would take about four to five years, assuming favorable weather and large-scale planting. However, the barren lands of Yanzhou and Bingzhou could also be cultivated," Qu Qi estimated. "But for this, you'll need to prioritize resources in this area."
"If that's the case, four to five years should suffice for us," Jia Xu calculated, nodding. "It's unfortunate, though. By then, we'll be sweeping southward with the momentum of victory, and the empire will essentially be ours."
"Expanding our territory will leave a legacy for future generations. The Central Plains will always be ours—no one can take it from us. But that land isn't ours yet," Li You said, his eyes cold. Compared to the eternal security of the Central Plains, it was better to secure that northern territory as soon as possible. If any unforeseen changes occurred, it would be a disaster.
Chen Xi glanced at the others, seeing that they had all decided to make that land their own before turning their focus back to the Central Plains. He had no objections; it seemed like the right move.
"Let me make one thing clear—while the essence of the world isn't in the Central Plains, and its people are abundant, the truly fertile land isn't here. I know of a place where you can scatter seeds at random and harvest three times a year. Dig anywhere and you'll find copper and iron. When the time comes, let's work hard together," Chen Xi said solemnly.
His words made Jia Xu and the others feel like their eyes were about to pop out of their heads. Even Zhao Yun, who had been quietly eavesdropping, was stunned. A place like that actually existed? Why had they never known about it?
"Such a place exists?" Jia Xu muttered to himself in disbelief.
"Of course. Defeat the northern enemies, take the Central Plains, and grasp the empire—then you'll see it. For now, let's focus on securing the north. Once we've claimed those five million qing of fertile land, the twenty thousand qing of river plains in Guanzhong will seem insignificant. Watch me show them who's boss!" Chen Xi boasted, confidence radiating from him.
"If such a place exists, I must see it in my lifetime—to witness why the heavens are so unfair!" Jia Xu's eyes grew cold and resolute as he gazed at Chen Xi. The chaos of this era had shaped him, but it had also shown him too much suffering—countless displaced people, countless children devouring each other for survival, all for a single grain of food that held so much anger, but also so much hope.
Compared to Jia Xu's icy determination, Li You's chest swelled with anger after hearing Chen Xi's words. How could the heavens be so unjust?
Unconsciously, Li You reflected on his past motivations—serving the common people, the poor. Yes, all these brilliant strategists of humble origins fought so that people like them could have food to eat, clothes to wear, books to read—or rather, so they could have hope of climbing higher. That had been his reason for following Dong Zhuo!
When the young emperor was deposed in Luoyang, and then killed in a fit of rage, wasn't it because he believed that bringing all the warlords together, gathering the elite troops for a single battle at Hulao Pass, and then using the momentum of victory to sweep the land, would be the quickest and most effective way to end the chaos?
Only with that kind of overwhelming strength could the country be reshaped, the system restructured, and the suffering of the people brought to an end in the shortest possible time.
But now, hearing from Chen Xi that there were lands where crops could yield three times a year, Li You suddenly realized how unjust the heavens were. In the Central Plains, even the best land could only produce one crop a year, though it didn't need to lie fallow. As for the rest—no need to mention it! The disparity was immense!
"If such a place exists, I must see it with my own eyes!" Li You shouted in anger, drawing his sword and driving it into the table, the blade trembling with his fury. "If the heavens are unjust, then I will defy them. For eternity, man will conquer heaven!"