Chapter 1645: Ministry of Land and Resources

Besides this, the other thing worth mentioning in Huaxia is the Fangzhi Chang. Because of the mining of alum, combined with the large quantity transported back, Huaxia's weaving has also ushered in a major development. Cloth of various colors has been dyed, the entire Huaxia has become more colorful, and the patterns dyed are also better looking.

At the same time, embroidery technology is also gradually maturing, but it requires too much manpower and material resources, which means it cannot be mass-produced and can only be a luxury item that a small number of people can afford.

This has been the case throughout the ages; even thousands of years later, hand-embroidered fabric is not something ordinary people can afford. Only machine embroidery has brought the price down, but it is a new technology after all, so Baifeng encourages it and will not discourage it.

Another thing is the sewing machine. Because a sewing machine does not require an internal combustion engine or an electric motor, the industrial level of the late 20th century could also produce sewing machines. Although Huaxia's current mechanical processing level is still pitifully low and mass, standardized production is impossible, small-scale design and manufacturing are not impossible.

Unfortunately, Baifeng has only played with the old treadle-type sewing machines and has never studied their working principles. He cannot even figure out to this day how the needle brings the thread back up after it pierces down; he feels he cannot imagine it.

Baifeng naturally will not take this matter upon himself. Huaxia has such talent, so let them think and try. If they cannot figure it out in a year, then let them think for a few more years; there will always be an opportunity. As long as it can be made, it will be another major boost for Huaxia's textile industry.

Of course, he definitely drew a sketch, a rough shape, so they would know the operating principle. What Baifeng cannot understand is only the part where the needle goes up and down; the part where you step on it and it moves is still understandable, and since it is not chain-driven, the manufacturing process should not be difficult.

Besides these, there were no major changes in Huaxia this year. Even in a period of rapid development, it is impossible for things to look different every year; overall, it is still developing steadily forward.

After the summary meeting ended, it was time to arrange for future development. Each department maintained its current state of development and set development goals for next year; there were no major changes.

However, in order to cope with the current development situation of Huaxia, Baifeng newly established a department, the Ministry of Land and Resources. This department merged the prospecting personnel currently belonging to the Ministry of Works. The work content remains the same, but the department they belong to has changed, and their positions are also slightly higher.

This department also has an important task, which is to measure the land area and determine the national borders. This department is purely a thankless job and is also quite dangerous.

After its establishment, next year they must join forces with the people of the Xuanyuan Tribe to explore and divide the territories of Huaxia and the Xuanyuan Tribe, draw maps, calculate the area, and also explore the borders of the Shennong Clan's territory, likewise drawing maps and calculating the area.

Baifeng does not want precise numbers. Their step is one meter; let them use their footsteps to measure the approximate land area of Huaxia to see how big it is. After they draw the map of Huaxia's territory, Baifeng will then completely divide Huaxia according to the mountain shapes, terrain, and water flow, establishing how many Provinces and Prefectural Cities to set up, then manage them precisely, explore the territory in detail, and count the population. Only in this way can Huaxia be managed with precision.

Furthermore, after such a division, it will be easier and more convenient to explore mineral resources in the territory in the future. Knowing which Province or Prefecture it falls under, Baifeng can also rely on the mineral resources to design a city and promote its development.

But to explore and clarify how big the entire Huaxia is, and to draw maps of rivers and mountain shapes, one needs professionals in this field who are also capable of enduring hardship and have a certain level of combat capability, so as to avoid the various dangers encountered along the way.

Looking at it, the only ones in Huaxia who can meet the standards are the Soldiers, because they have all undergone professional training in this area. Drawing maps and contour maps is their assessment standard, and they can endure hardship. As long as they form teams, there is almost nothing that can pose too much of a threat to their safety.

But looking at the current situation in Huaxia, the number of Soldiers is still insufficient, and they cannot demobilize troops as soon as a war ends. Moreover, whether they can reach an agreement with the Jiuli and the Xuanyuan Tribe is also an unknown.

But the current situation requires this, so Baifeng can only have some Soldiers who are injured but not seriously so transfer their profession, letting them transfer to the Ministry of Land and Resources to carry out territory planning work. Some veteran Soldiers and those who volunteer to transfer are also arranged to go there.

Then there are some previously retired Soldiers who are recalled, given an Establishment System, and given rewards. Suffer for ten years, and be happy for the rest of your life.

But even so, there can only be four or five hundred people, which is still far from the overall demand. So for the remaining people, they naturally have to volunteer to sign up. As long as they are over sixteen years old, can endure hardship, and have a primary school education, they can sign up. After a simple assessment, they are immediately given an Establishment System. Baifeng expects that at least one thousand people are needed.

This year, only the borders between the Xuanyuan Tribe and Huaxia's territory will be divided and explored, divided into several teams, with some entering the depths to explore and draw maps.

This task is very arduous, so the requirement Baifeng gave is ten years; as long as it can be measured and drawn within ten years, it will suffice. Measuring and drawing the scope of one Province each year is enough.

Some seriously injured or disabled Soldiers, after retiring and changing professions, also entered this department. However, they do not need to go to distant places to survey; they only need to survey and count around the cities, with the main goal being to inventory the number of farmlands and plan the arrangement of farmlands and villages.

This work is currently being done jointly by the Ministry of Agriculture, the Ministry of Revenue, and Public Security. The process is cumbersome and the responsibilities are unclear. In the future, the Ministry of Land and Resources only needs to carry out surveying and planning, and after counting, report to the Ministry of Revenue. As for household registration and population, Public Security will be responsible. With a clear division of labor, the difficulty of work is reduced, and the current disorderly expansion will become orderly development.

This decision of Baifeng was naturally affirmed by everyone. They forever believe in Baifeng's decisions, and indeed, they also really want to know how big Huaxia's territory is, and they also need to clarify the borders with other tribes' territories to avoid conflicts and friction.

Everyone thinks Huaxia is very, very big, but they are not sure how big it is, and they cannot be sure where Huaxia is and where the Xuanyuan Tribe is.

Regarding the division of territory, with the compensation issue regarding the Shennong Clan's territory with the Xuanyuan Tribe, Huaxia can now, without any pressure, incorporate the location of the Liuhuangdi into Huaxia's control. Because it previously belonged to the scope of the Suiren Clan's control, now they can even directly bring sulfur back to the city from the Suiren Clan's territory.

The people of the Xuanyuan Tribe have also not seen the large Huaxia Boats that went far down the Xuanyuan Tribe for a long time. Where exactly the Huaxia boats went after passing downstream has become a mystery to them.