"Your Majesty, it's time for lunch!"
It was almost noon. Zhu Youxiao came back to his senses from his work. Looking at the half-formed man, he could not help but nod.
The workmanship of top-grade wood was indeed smoother than ordinary wood. He had to collect more top-grade wood in the future!
Yellow rosewood, in Hainan!
Purple sandalwood was mostly made of Malay, West Mute, and Thailand!
Chicken wing wood, mostly distributed in India, South Vietnam and other places!
Ironwood grew in India!
Ebony, in Myanmar, in Indonesia!
Boxwood, purple elm, beech, golden nanmu, and birch were all in China. If he counted carefully, it seemed like he could get the top-grade wood easily!
The Darming Dynasty had a vast territory, and the small Southeast Asian countries were all affiliated countries. After so many years, it was time to collect some protection fees!
No, it should be called tribute!
"Wei Banban, what is this?”
While he was thinking, Zhu Youxiao was interrupted by the sweetness in the bowl. He looked down and saw that it was a slightly golden "fruit", which was particularly pleasing!
"Emperor, this is sweet potato porridge. It was personally cooked by the empress. This servant smells sweet!”
Wei Zhongxian walked closer and said with envy and flattery,"The empress said that recently, when His Majesty was busy with the previous dynasty, his appetite was poor and he had to use sweet food to make this sweet potato porridge. Even the chefs in the imperial kitchen were not allowed to touch it!”
Boom!
Sweet potatoes!
Sweet potatoes!
3,000 kilograms of cash crops per mu!
Zhu Youxiao suddenly remembered that the official history records stated that sweet potatoes were introduced to China during the Wanli period, but they were not popularized in Jiangnan. It was only during the Qing Dynasty that they were used to solve the food problem of countless people!
"Where did sweet potatoes come from?"
Zhu Youxiao finished the porridge in his bowl and asked excitedly.
Since sweet potatoes existed in the palace and were allowed to be made into food, it meant that sweet potatoes had been studied to a certain extent!
There should be no lack of seeds!
He could only implement it and quickly solve the problem of food for the people!
In the early days of the founding of the later dynasty, 400 million people were fed by sweet potatoes. It could be said to be magical!
Da Ming currently only had 200 million people. It was simply a piece of cake to feed them with sweet potatoes!
"The governor of Yongning Prefecture in Zhejiang Province has presented a tribute, saying that it is incomparably sweet and fragrant, so that His Majesty and the consorts of the various palaces can have a taste!”
"Is that all?"
"Yes, sir!"
Wei Zhongxian was a little confused. He didn't understand why the Emperor was interested in sweet potatoes. Although they were sweet, it wasn't strange.
"The imperial edict says that the entire family of the governor of Yongning Prefecture in Zhejiang Province will be executed.”
"Summon the chief assistant and the second assistant to the cabinet for an audience!”
Zhu Youxiao once again understood the inaction of the local officials in the late Ming Dynasty. The planting of crops in Zhejiang had almost formed a system, but the local officials did not care about the yield per mu of crops or whether crops could replace grain. They only wanted to "taste the fresh". All of them deserved to die!
Warm Pavilion!
Zhu Youxiao sat on the dragon chair with a heavy expression. There were sweet potatoes with fresh soil on the table as he received Ye Xianggao and Fang Congzhe.
This matter concerned the well-being of hundreds of millions of people, so he had to be careful!
"My dear ministers, do you recognize what this is?”
Pointing at the sweet potato, Zhu Youxiao sorted out his words and thought about how to persuade the cabinet to promote the sweet potato in the country!
"I don't know!"
Ye Xianggao looked at the sweet potato carefully and shook his head. It was the first time he had seen such a fruit-like plant.
"In my opinion, this should be a sweet potato from southern Zhejiang!”
Fang Congzhe frowned. A few years ago, when he returned to Zhejiang Province, he had tasted the ripe ones. This one looked like it had just been pulled out, so it was not quite accurate!
"That's right, it's a sweet potato!"
Zhu Youxiao took a sip of tea, cleared his throat, and continued to ask,""Fang Cifu, do you know how sweet potatoes taste?”
"Sweet and delicious!"
"Hmm, do you know how much sweet potato yield per mu is?”
Fang Congzhe was slightly stunned and paused."This…I don't think it's too high!"
In the entire Huaxia Country, the highest yield per mu was wheat, which was about 350 catties!
Next was the rice, about 300 catties!
In terms of taste alone, sweet potatoes are more delicious than wheat and rice. According to the calculations of the assistant minister, the yield per mu is relatively low!
"What do you think, Chief Ye?"
Zhu Youxiao neither nodded nor shook his head. Then, he looked at the chief and asked.
"I don't know!"
Ye Xianggao had a rough guess in his heart, but seeing the Emperor's unexpected solemnity today, he shook his head again after pondering for a moment!
To be able to sit on the position of being second to one person and above tens of thousands of people, it was not by trickery or petty cleverness, but by understanding the true principle of " great wisdom appears foolish ".
"Alright, I'll tell the two beloved ministers!”
Zhu Youxiao leaned forward, his eyes like lightning, and said coldly,""This kind of crop is called Sweet Potato. The sweet potato mentioned by the second assistant can also be used. It is known for its sweet and delicious taste. Its yield per mu can reach up to 7,000 catties.”
Boom!
Seven thousand jin!
The most important weapon of the country!
The chief assistant could not stand steadily and collapsed to the ground!
The auxiliary minister was sweating profusely, his eyes filled with fear!
The Imperial Household Manager's horsetail whisk fell to the ground, completely unaware!
With the emperor's status, he would never joke around. If the yield of sweet potatoes per mu was real, then all the officials who had seen sweet potatoes should die!
Such a gift from the gods, one did not investigate its source, two did not report to the court for inspection, so that every year refugees and disaster victims have nothing to eat and die!
"Your Majesty, this subject is guilty!"
After a short silence, Fang Congzhe knelt on the ground and said shakily,"I am ashamed to be the assistant of the cabinet. I have eyes but failed to see.”
"Your Majesty, all the officials in southern Zhejiang have been killed and abandoned. I advise the Brocade Guard, the East Chamber, and the Ministry of Justice to arrest them and behead them after autumn!”
After digesting the shocking news," Prime Minister " Ye Xianggao was furious. Since the yield of sweet potatoes per mu was so high, the world would have been peaceful if they had discovered and promoted it earlier!
Didn't the people rebel for years just for a bite to eat?
Damn it!
All of them deserved to die!
All the officials in the province must die!
"If you investigate the culprit, the rest can be dismissed. Three generations will not be allowed to take the imperial examination!”
Zhu Youxiao sighed and said with a complicated gaze,""Send the assistant ministers of the Ministry of Revenue to southern Zhejiang immediately to investigate and master the essentials of planting.”
"This lowly subject obeys!"
Ye Xianggao understood the emperor's thoughts. The southern Zhejiang region was the richest in the world. If he captured and beheaded all the officials in the province, he was afraid that there would be trouble!
Besides, how could the officials who served as food officials only be in southern Zhejiang?
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
Fang Congzhe's stiff body gradually regained consciousness and he quickly knelt down to thank him!
South Zhejiang is the home of the Zhejiang Party!
Most of the officials in southern Zhejiang were related to the imperial court's Zhejiang Party!
He wiped the cold sweat off his forehead. He had almost been raided!
P.S. Regarding the answer to a reader's question about " Shi Kefa," the storyteller actually hesitated for a long time when writing the story. In the end, he wrote that he was a virtuous minister and what was virtuous!
What is virtuous?
It is a wise man to tell stories and seek happiness for the people!
It is wise to open up peace for all generations!
A loyal monarch and patriotic person is a wise man!
Those who are loyal to the country are wise!
Shi Kefa was wrong to establish a new emperor after the death of Emperor Chongzhen. He was also wrong to be incompetent in the military during the anti-Qing war!
However, he could not ignore the fact that he had died for the Ming Dynasty. His bones were not left, only his clothes were left in the tomb!
I hope that all of you can understand my storytelling. I'm extremely grateful ~
This book is provided by FunNovel Novel Book | Fan Fiction Novel [Beautiful Free Novel Book]