For example, this book "Fundamentals of Mathematics" only involves Arabic numerals, addition, subtraction, multiplication and division and other common applications, and there are not even four mixed operations. Because, at that time, there was no need for four mixed operations. When you encounter complex problems, you just need to calculate them separately. In addition to specialized accounting, as long as the average person masters addition, subtraction, multiplication and division, it is basically enough.

The emergence of "Mathematical Foundations" has greatly changed the calculation methods of the people. Originally, the calculation was limited to professionals such as bookkeepers and shop owners, and no one else understood it. Now, the average person knows how to calculate. Especially those children can learn math more easily. At that time, calculations were either chips or abacus, and paper calculations like Arabic numerals appeared for the first time.

Older people may have some difficulty learning mathematics. Those little children, however, are not too difficult. The child's surname is originally very strong. Ten Arabic numerals, ninety-nine multiplication formulas, these are very basic contents. It only takes repeated teachings for them to learn. In addition to classes, they can also easily use it when they are playing. Even the dumbest child can master it in two or three years.

Mathematics is the foundation of all disciplines, and this is definitely no joke. Only when the vast majority of people understand the basic knowledge of mathematics can other disciplines continue to be promoted. For example, the craftsmen who are responsible for the study of mine mercury can also do better research after mastering this mathematical knowledge. The same is true for the study of cannons. Even the manufacture of the moon gun has a certain quality improvement in the application of mathematics.

In order to better learn the language, Xu Xingxia also specially implemented punctuation marks to be used as sentence breaks. to prevent ambiguity. At that time, the articles were all without punctuation, and they generally relied on words and sentences such as Zhihuyi. Different people, speaking and reading different articles, may have different sentence breaks, and may even lead to errors in meaning.

Of course, Xu Xingxia didn't want to see such a situation happen. If an article, because of the problem of broken sentences, the meaning is very different, or even completely opposite. That's very easy to get into trouble. Only after using punctuation marks to break sentences can ambiguity be avoided as much as possible, and it is easier for everyone to learn. In the past, the conditions were immature and could not be promoted and applied on a large scale. Now that the conditions are ripe, he is about to break the sentence.

The brush is not easy to write, so promote the quill pen. The use of quills is actually tied to the application of punctuation. This is because it takes a lot of skill to write punctuation marks with a brush, otherwise it will be black. For example, writing a full stop is a bit difficult with a brush. Either it takes up a lot of space, or it's mistaken for a little. However, quills are different. The font of a quill pen is much smaller than that of a brush.

Of course, in terms of cost, the cost of quill pens is also lower, and feathers such as general poultry can be used to make quill pens. In addition, the technical difficulty of mastering the quill pen is also lower, and its posture is basically the same as grasping chopsticks. This is very beneficial to the general promotion of reading and writing. For the average reader, it takes a long time just to practice the posture of grasping the brush. Where do ordinary people have so much time?

Don't think that a quill is just a goose feather, ugly and hard to use. In fact, through their ingenuity, craftsmen have produced a lot of beautiful, economical and practical quill pens and put them on the market. Xu Xingxia now uses a quill pen to review official documents. Although it is not as convenient as the fountain pen and ballpoint pen of later generations, it is still much more comfortable than the brush.

Of course, some people also criticized Xu Xingxia behind his back for not using a brush, which is disrespectful to ancient Chinese culture. Making something like a quill is simply desecrating the heirloom of our ancestors. Xu Xingxia also heard these words, so he could only laugh at them. He has to learn the brush now, it's too difficult. Pretend you didn't hear it.

"Where's Daddy?" Xu Xingxia asked casually.

He thought he was busy. Unexpectedly, when I came back, I found that the busiest person was actually my father. Daddy was in charge of the production of glass and white marble porcelain, and spent little time at home in a month. seems to be at his age, an old husband and wife, and he hasn't seen each other for a long time, and there doesn't seem to be anything wrong. If he and Tesna are replaced, I'm afraid it won't work.

"He's not home for a month, so go find him." Wang said casually.

For Xu Fuqing's busyness, Wang really didn't pay much attention to it. Since you have to work, you have to work. When the son is back, it is natural to be lively. It's just that the current Xu family doesn't lack anything, dumplings, pork and the like are ready-made, no matter what dishes you make, you don't need to toss. Wang cooked a few dishes to entertain his son.

During the banquet, the three girls were giggling, not knowing what to say, Wang suddenly said: "By the way, do you still have contact with the girl from the capital?" ”

Xu Xingxia was shocked. This is really a pot that can't be opened. He and Miss Azhu have actually been in contact for a long time. His current identity is actually very embarrassing. From the perspective of the imperial court, he is definitely rebellious, and he must destroy his family. With such a background, how could Miss Azhu contact him? Perhaps, she hated herself.

Wang sighed and said: "I also want to open your business, you can do whatever you want, and your father and mother will not urge you." However, I did hear from anyone that the court wants to appease you. I'm also going to let you concurrently serve as the chief military officer of the three towns or something. Otherwise, you can make a request and let them marry Miss Azhu to you. You're not insulting her. ”

Xu Xingxia shook his head and said with a smile: "That's not good, the court won't agree." ”

Wang said disapprerovingly: "Why don't you agree?" My child, isn't she worthy? Seriously, I'm really not uncommon with this colt. ”

Xu Xingxia said with a smile: "You don't understand, the concubine of the imperial court can't be in charge of power, he can only raise it like a pig." I now hold the military and political power, and I am a great threat to them, how can they still recruit me as a concubine? This matter, on the surface, is absolutely not okay. Even if it is to be done, it can only be discussed secretly and cannot be made public. ”

Wang Shi looked at him for a long time, and suddenly smiled: "Dare to love because you have a plan?" That's good! That's good! Mother doesn't ask you how to do it. Anyway, when the time comes, you can just bring her back. However, let me tell you first, I don't want to kneel three times and bow nine times. There is no reason to be a father and mother to bow down to his daughter-in-law. Such a daughter-in-law, I would rather not. ”

Xu Xingxia said with a smile: "Mother, don't worry, she must be giving you a salute!" ”

Wang was relieved at this time, and smiled and put vegetables in Xu Xingxia's bowl, and the family was happy.

…… After a night of reunion with his family, Xu Xingxia is going to be busy again. There are a lot of things, there is no way, you can't be lazy if you want to. When he got up in the morning, Xu Xingxia simply washed up, and then walked to the yamen in front of him to review the relevant reports. During the time he left Ningxia City, some reports that were not very important were accumulated, and there was only time to deal with them now.

Most of the reports have nothing to do with the war. However, this is by no means to say that these reports are not important. On the contrary, these reports are also important. In addition to fighting, the most important thing, of course, is production. The combat effectiveness of the white-clothed army is built on strong productive forces. If production is neglected, the combat effectiveness of the troops will also be affected.

The most important report, of course, is on the area sown to grain. Most of the grain in Ningxia Town is three crops in two years, and the sowing season is in September. Since Mo Yuegen was not able to come to Ningxia Town, the grain sowing in Ningxia Town was not affected in any way. The total sown area has almost reached a historical peak, exceeding 15 million mu. Thanks to everyone's efforts, as long as there is wasteland that can be reclaimed, it has basically been reclaimed.

To be able to have such an astonishing number, to a large extent, thanks to those military households from Yansui Town. It is their arrival that provides an abundant labor force. Originally, in the southwest of Ningxia Town, such as Ningxia Zhongwei and other places, there were a large number of fields that had not had time to be cultivated. According to rough estimates, it will not be less than three million acres. Because, this place, like the northern part of Ningxia Town, is often harassed by Tartars. Every year, there are sporadic Tartars, heading south from Shengjin Pass. In the face of such a situation, no matter how fertile the land is, it will only be wasted.

After the white-clothed army took control of Ningxia Town, they blocked the pass of Shengjin Pass, so that the Tartar cavalry no longer had a chance to go south, and Ningxia Zhongwei and other places became safe. All of these 3 million acres of land can be reclaimed for sowing grain. In addition to the fields to which Jing Yuwei belongs, there are more than 1 million acres. All these factors combined make it possible for the sown area of grain in September to exceed 15 million mu.

There is no doubt that this is a gratifying figure. Even if calculated according to the tax of two buckets per mu, the white-clothed army could collect more than three million stone of grain. The local grain reserves in Ningxia Town will also be greatly increased. The average family has about 20 acres of land. It is certainly impossible for them to eat up all their food.

Of course, it is also a great thing for the military households in Yansui Town. The production conditions in Ningxia Town are indeed much better than those in Yansui Town. If nothing else, the total grain output of the five acres of land in Ningxia Town can basically reach more than 1,500 catties. If you do it well, it can reach 2,000 catties. It's enough for three big men to consume. Moreover, as long as a child is three feet tall, both men and women, they can get a share of the field. The average family has more than 20 acres of land.

In fact, the total area of cultivated land in the Ming Dynasty was still quite large. In the 33rd year of Wanli, the total area of cultivated land in the country exceeded 12 million hectares (about 180 million mu). In the later generations of New China, the total area of cultivated land exceeded 1.8 billion mu. What does this mean? This shows that the development of cultivated land at that time was only about one-tenth of that of later generations. As long as we continue to make efforts, keep reclaiming land, and constantly improve planting technology, grain output will increase.

It is a pity that most of the land in the country at that time was concentrated in the hands of a very small number of large landowners. The average people have no land at all. This is the reason why many military households put down everything in their hands without thinking and took refuge in the white-clothed army. As long as you take refuge in the white-clothed army, you can get your own land. How many people would hesitate to do such a good thing? In particular, the people in the northwest region have basically had no land of their own since almost the Yongle period.

"What is this?" Xu Xingxia picked up a report and read it cursoryly, but he didn't understand it. I read it again and finally figured it out.

It turned out that the southeastern area of Gansu Town, including Zhuanglang City, Xining City and other districts, had a relatively small grain sowing area. The local fields are also relatively barren, and the winter is particularly dry and cold, and even wheat cannot be grown, so only barley and the like can be grown, and the yield is very low. The members of the Board of Governors, after research, felt that it was difficult for the local food production to be self-sufficient. Food must be imported from other places in order to meet the needs of the local population.

However, due to problems on the road, the cost of transporting grain is very high, and it seems that the gains outweigh the losses. For these areas, many committee members suggested that all the local Han people should be relocated. Anyway, all parts of Ningxia Town now also need a large number of people, and there are enough fields and space to accommodate them.

"No! Absolutely not! Xu Xingxia was firmly opposed.

From an economic point of view, the relocation of these people is indeed conducive to reducing the burden on the white army. The people who were relocated could indeed get better living conditions after arriving in Ningxia Town. However, from the perspective of ethnic integration, if the Han people are migrated out of these areas, those areas will become purely ethnic minority areas. Perhaps, in a few years, these places will become outside the world.

Of course not. Xu Xingxia will never allow his own territory, because for this reason, he will be marginalized. He is about to expand his territory, how can he give up the territory that belongs to him? Not only could they not do this, but they also had to continue to migrate Han Chinese to those areas. The lessons of later generations have proved that only when the number of Han Chinese, which exceeds the number of local ethnic minorities, can these areas be better controlled.

Now, it is true that the White Coats do not have the ability to move more people to these areas for the time being. The local population of Ningxia Town is not very full. However, even so, it is absolutely impossible to relocate all the local Han Chinese back. On the contrary, in the future, it is necessary to continue to migrate Han Chinese to these areas. For example, from the densely populated Guanzhong area, some Han people migrated to the area around Xining City, took root, and spread their branches.

(To be continued)