Having the Thousand Ox Guards wait outside, Empress Zhangsun pushed open the door and walked into the courtyard alone.
Li Lizhi and Cheng Chuyu were working hard on the meat and vegetables in the hotpot. When they heard the door open, they stopped.
Li Lizhi's beautiful eyes widened, and Cheng Chuyu was also stunned.
"Mother, why are you here…"
Li Lizhi quickly put down her bowl and chopsticks and went up to him carefully.
He was like a child who was afraid of being punished by the adults for doing something wrong.
"Greetings, Empress."
Cheng Chuyu also went up to greet him, feeling uneasy.
Empress Zhangsun said lightly," The two of you are quite carefree. You left the people from the Ministry of Rites and Duke Lu and Madam Lu behind and hid here to eat."”
Li Lizhi hugged Empress Zhangsun's arm and said coquettishly,""You also know the red tape of the Ministry of Rites. It's really too troublesome. Anyway, it's just a process. It doesn't matter if Cheng Chuyu is here or not.”
"It must be your stupid idea."
Empress Zhangsun rebuked and tapped Li Lizhi's forehead with her finger.
Li Lizhi giggled and did not refute.
Empress Zhangsun looked at Cheng Chuyu." There's no need to restrain the future son-in-law. I have no intention of blaming you. I came here this time because I have something to discuss with you."”
Although Cheng Chuyu was puzzled, he did not ask further.
"Let's eat over there and talk."
Li Lizhi pulled Empress Zhangsun to sit beside the hotpot.
Cheng Chuyu didn't hold back and sat opposite the two of them.
"What are these?"
Looking at the various ingredients rolling in the pot, Empress Zhangsun could not help but feel a little puzzled.
This fragrance was tempting, but it was a little pungent.
"This is called hotpot. Cheng Chuyu made it.”
"These red ones are called chili. Cheng Chuyu bought them from a merchant in the Western Regions.”
"This yellow one is called corn, and the green one is called sweet potato leaf. They are seeds that Cheng Chuyu bought from a merchant in the Western Regions.”
Previously, Cheng Chuyu had told Li Lizhi about it, so Li Lizhi explained it to her mother.
"Are these corn and sweet potatoes the ones you mentioned when you sneaked out of the palace?”
Empress Zhangsun vaguely remembered that Li Lizhi had mentioned it before, but this was the first time she had heard of chili.
Li Lizhi nodded and pointed at the vegetable field.""This tall one is the corn. It tastes very sweet. Those vines at the bottom are the sweet potato leaves. There are fruit-shaped sweet potatoes growing in the ground.”
There was a hint of pride in her tone, as if she was showing off that these were all hers.
Empress Zhangsun nodded.
He suddenly remembered that his second brother had once been concerned about the production problem, so he looked at Cheng Chuyu and asked,"Can we plant sweet potatoes and corn in large quantities? What is the yield?”
Cheng Chuyu was silent.
He hadn't properly calculated the yield, but based on what he was planting now, the yield was higher than the high-quality varieties in his previous life.
The system had always been magical, so the rewards were naturally extraordinary.
In this era, there were no crops with such high production. If he told Empress Zhangsun about the production, it would inevitably attract Li Shimin's attention.
Although the situation was stable, there were still many places suffering from famine. There were many people who did not have enough to eat.
If there was a high-yield grain that could solve this problem, Li Shiming would not let it go.
Moreover, expanding outward would also consume a large amount of food.
He could give the corn and sweet potato to Li Shi Min, but he couldn't just give them away for free. He had to exchange them for something.
As for the price…
Cheng Chuyu quickly thought about it and made a decision.
"If the soil is fertile enough, the yield per mu of sweet potatoes can reach about 8,000 catties, and the yield per mu of corn can reach about 1,500 catties.”
" What?!"
Empress Zhangsun stood up with a whoosh. The calmness on her face disappeared and was replaced with shock and disbelief.
She thought she had heard wrongly and asked in a trembling voice," What did you just say?"
Li Lizhi, who was eating mutton beside her, felt a little strange. She was well-fed and didn't understand why her mother, who had always been calm, would lose her composure.
Li Lizhi was too lazy to think about it and continued to focus on the hotpot.
"Sweet potatoes can reach about 8,000 catties per mu, and corn can reach about 1,500 catties per mu.”
Cheng Chuyu repeated slowly and clearly.
Empress Zhangsun felt as if all the strength in her body had been sucked out. She sat down weakly, her eyes somewhat empty.
Li Lizhi didn't know what this number meant, but she often watched Li Shimin deal with political affairs, so she knew how unbelievable this number was!
Such a high output was simply unheard of!
She did not think that Cheng Chuyu would dare to lie to her about the production volume. Not only would Cheng Chuyu not be able to bear such a crime, but even the huge Duke Lu Residence would not be able to bear it!
Cheng Chuyu was a smart person. He definitely wouldn't do such a stupid thing!
Food was the most important thing for the people, and the country was based on the people!
With this high-yield sweet potato and corn, the problem of the people's famine could be easily solved!
Second Brother's idea of expanding his territory could also be realized!
Why worry about the Great Tang not thriving?
Thinking of this, Empress Zhangsun became excited!
Cheng Chuyu did not find it strange to see the dignified mother of a country lose her composure like this.
Even Li Shi Min couldn't sit still when he heard this news.
At this moment, he said,"Only I know how to grow sweet potatoes and corn."”
These words were like a bucket of cold water poured on Empress Zhangsun, making her instantly sober up.
At the same time, she also heard Cheng Chuyu's implied meaning and said,"What reward do you want?"
As long as these sweet potatoes and corn could be planted in large quantities, it would solve many of the Great Tang's problems, and Cheng Chuyu was a great contributor. As long as his request was not too excessive, she could agree to it now.
"I'm afraid that the Empress can't decide on the reward that I want." Cheng Chuyu smiled indifferently.”
Empress Zhangsun frowned. She didn't expect Cheng Chuyu to be so ambitious.
However, when she thought of the sweet potatoes and corn, her dissatisfaction dissipated.
Empress Zhangsun stood up." If that's the case, then I'll return to the palace and report this matter to Your Majesty. Let's see how Your Majesty decides."”
Ever since she heard Cheng Chuyu mention this shocking production, she could not calm down for a long time. At this moment, she could not sit still for a moment.
"What? Mother, you just arrived and you're leaving?"
Li Lizhi was so focused on the hotpot that she didn't understand the conversation between the two. Seeing that her mother was leaving, she couldn't help but feel a little strange.
Was the weather too cold? Or was this hotpot not fragrant?
Empress Zhangsun nodded without giving an explanation. She left the courtyard in a hurry and returned to the palace.
"This mother is really strange. She didn't even look at such a delicious hotpot.”
Li Lizhi mumbled and started to focus on the hotpot again.
Cheng Chuyu shook his head and laughed. Then, he looked at the sky.
The originally bright sky had darkened at some point.
Heavy rain was coming...
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