Ci Jinzhi

This time, before Emperor Xingyuan asked, many ministers couldn't help themselves: "Yu Shangshu, how much is the total?"

Looking at the baskets of sweet potatoes, you can tell that the number is not small, but you still have to ask the person who does the accounting for the exact amount.

"Twenty-five stones!" Shangshu of the Ministry of Finance suppressed his blush and loudly announced an astonishing number.

The sound of gasping came and went.

Whether you are happy about the emergence of a high-yield crop like sweet potato, or you are resisting it, the shock at this time is the same.

 Twenty-five stone, the yield per mu is actually twenty-five stone!

Emperor Xingyuan stood up suddenly: "Really there are twenty-five stones?"

"Your Majesty, it's absolutely true. Twenty-five stones are enough to make you rich!" The Minister of the Ministry of Finance's voice was trembling, and his eyes were red.

If this sweet potato can be popularized throughout Daxia, even if the yield is reduced, the number of people dying of hunger will be greatly reduced.

Ms. Xin’s merits will last forever!

The Minister of Hubu was in an excited mood, and suddenly gave Xin You a deep bow: "Thank you for the imperial edict, this sweet potato will definitely benefit countless people, please accept this gift from me!"

The ministers looked at the Minister of the Ministry of Finance in a daze and did not react for a moment.

Emperor Xingyuan was startled and then laughed loudly: "The sweet potatoes can be obtained in Daxia, and Xin Taizhao deserves the most credit!"

All the ministers woke up from a dream, and words of praise came out one after another.

King Xiu listened to everyone's praise for Xinyou, smiled at her and held his hands.

Xinyou returned the gift, but did not lose her mind amidst the singing.

She doesn’t think everyone welcomes sweet potatoes.

Emperor Xingyuan was so happy that he immediately announced a banquet at the manor where he was staying, and the emperor and his ministers enjoyed it together.

 At the dinner, Emperor Xingyuan was smiling and toasting frequently. Later, this majestic emperor rarely showed signs of drunkenness.

 “Ayou.”

 “I am here.”

“I’m really happy. With sweet potatoes in Daxia, many people will not be hungry in the future. It’s all thanks to you!”

 After drinking, Emperor Xingyuan's words became even more sincere.

The ministers quietly exchanged glances and thought that Xinyou's status in the emperor's heart would become even more extraordinary from now on.

Emperor Xingyuan reached into his arms and took out something: "I gave you the jade Ruyi. That day you returned the jade Ruyi and spared Marquis Changle from the death penalty. I will give it to you today and make you a new request."

Looking around at everyone, Emperor Xingyuan said again: "As for your contribution to adding a treasure to me in Daxia, wait until you return to the capital to discuss your merits and reward them one by one!"

 “Thank you, Your Majesty.” Xinyou took the jade Ruyi.

He Qingxiao and others also stood up to express their thanks.

By the time the banquet ended, it was getting late, and everyone was either really drunk or pretending to be drunk, so they staggered away.

 In a small courtyard, the Minister of Rites, who was being supported, entered the room and sat down, his eyes clear again.

“After this, whatever Xin You does, the emperor will definitely support him fully.”

"She still feels that she has not done enough?" One person's face turned dark, "Not satisfied with the implementation of the New Deal, she also introduced sweet potatoes from overseas!"

 Some people were puzzled: "This sweet potato is indeed a good product. It is so high-yielding that the soil is not limited."

“This is terrible! The common people can feed themselves with just a few barren fields. Where does our land come from?”

The man was shocked and understood.

 “Just be afraid, she is not satisfied with sweet potatoes…”

Just as these people were worried, Xin You was summoned by Emperor Xingyuan the next day, and Xin You said, "Although sweet potatoes can satisfy the hunger, it has some shortcomings." Emperor Xing Yuan did not expect Xin You to say this: "Oh, what's the shortcoming?"

 Others only take credit, why is Ayou so honest?

“Sweet potatoes are prone to bloating if eaten too much, and their storage time is shorter than rice, wheat and other grains.”

Emperor Xingyuan smiled after hearing this: "Flatulence is nothing, as long as it can fill people's stomach."

In his opinion, sweet potatoes protect the bottom line of the people. First, they will not starve to death, and then they will talk about their appetite.

"Storage time is indeed a problem, but people don't plant all the fields with sweet potatoes. They just eat the sweet potatoes first..." Emperor Xingyuan was a keen person, and he said for a while, "Does Ayou have a solution?"

Xin You was waiting for these words when he brought up the shortcomings of sweet potatoes: "I also heard my mother mention something that is more suitable for staple food than sweet potatoes."

Emperor Xingyuan immediately became interested: "What is it?"

“This thing is called potato. It has lower climate requirements than sweet potatoes, shorter growth time, and higher yield..."

Emperor Xingyuan couldn't sit still when he heard that the yield was higher, and asked hurriedly: "Are potatoes also an overseas product?"

  “Exactly.”

 “Why didn’t you ask Zhu Liu to bring it with you?”

Xinyou sighed: "Not in one place. If you want to get potatoes, you need to go further east or south, and you need to sail far..."

Let this man see the sweet potato harvest with his own eyes, and those wielding hoes will loosen the sea ban. And to let him know that there are more treasures in the vast overseas world, which can bring more benefits to Daxia, all he needs to do is to carve out a corner of the place where he can pry.

"Farther away..." Emperor Xingyuan tapped his finger on the table, his heart moved.

If there are many treasures overseas such as sweet potatoes that can solve people's livelihood, Daxia should certainly have them.

He is the founder of the country. Those policies were either learned from the previous dynasty or based on the advice of ministers. If there were better ones, he would certainly not stick to them.

 He set those national policies to serve Daxia, rather than being bound by political orders.

After thinking for a long time, Emperor Xingyuan said: "If you want to sail far away, whether it is training the navy or building large ships suitable for long distances, you cannot ignore it. Well, Ayou, you go to Guangcheng on my behalf and inspect the shipyard."

The journey from Wen County to Guangcheng is not too far, but Emperor Xingyuan was in trouble as the king of a country. He needed to return to Beijing as soon as possible to deal with some political affairs that were inconvenient for those who stayed in Beijing.

“Those who are traveling with you—” Emperor Xingyuan paused, “Let King Xiu go with you.”

The corners of Xinyou’s mouth moved slightly.

 This blocked her request for He Qingxiao to accompany her.

She raised her eyes slightly, met Emperor Xingyuan's gaze, and understood the other person's thoughts during this brief gaze.

This is because he is afraid that she will run away with He Qingxiao when they arrive in Guangcheng, leaving He Qingxiao by his side to contain her.

 She is the kite flying far away, and He Qingxiao is the string held in her hand. Just as she had thought, knowing her intentions, He Qingxiao became a means to manipulate her.

Xinyou smiled in her heart.

 Introducing the New Deal and imposing a sea ban were what my mother expected, and it was also the path she chose. Before it is realized, she will not leave even if there is a thread holding her.

The people going to Guangcheng were quickly decided. In addition to Xin You and King Xiu, there was also a minister from the Ministry of Industry, and then the guards responsible for protection.

Hearing that Xin You and King Xiu were going to Guangcheng, some were happy that the emperor had begun to train King Xiu, while others were worried about Xin You's purpose of going to Guangcheng.

 The day before departure, Xin You and He Qingxiao went to the sweet potato field.

Fields that were once covered with green grass and vines have exposed the loess, and are bare, waiting for new crops to be planted. The busy farmhands also disappeared.

 Everything in front of me is familiar yet unfamiliar.

 “Congratulations to Qingxiao, we may not meet again until autumn.”

 (End of this chapter)