The importance of sweet potatoes and corn to the country was far greater than the iron smelting and salt production that Xia Qi had brought out previously.
If the world had not been unified, Xia Qi could make use of the checks and balance between the various countries to make a fortune through these two things.
However, it was impossible now.
Especially since Xia Qi had been acknowledged by Brother Zheng.
On one hand, this identity gave him a layer of protection.
But on the other hand, many things were inconvenient to operate.
Xia Qi received the news before he left the house.
Brother Zheng summoned him!
Not long after, Xia Qi arrived at the Imperial Palace with the items.
Inside the main hall, there were only Big Brother Zheng and Wang Jian.
After the recent financial problems eased, the number of times Brother Zheng summoned Wang Jian increased day by day.
He wondered if the Xiongnu Chanyu in the far north, Touman, would inexplicably feel a chill down his spine.
"Imperial Father, I have two things to offer.”
Xia Qi said without waiting for Brother Zheng to speak.
Xia Qi was so frank, and Brother Zheng did not hide anything.
"Oh? Was it something you sent overseas to find?”
Xia Qi nodded and took out sweet potatoes and corn.
"Imperial Father, please take a look. This is called sweet potato and this is corn.”
Clang!
As soon as these words came out, Wang Jian, who was still sitting peacefully at the side just now, suddenly stood up, knocking over the table in front of him.
No wonder Wang Jian would lose his composure like this. It was really that Xia Qi's words shocked him too much.
"Do you know what new grain means? Not just any thing dared to be called grain!”
Wang Jian widened his eyes and stared straight at Xia Qi.
"This old master knows that because of what happened in the past, you have always been unhappy with this old master. If these two grains are real, this old man can promise you that I will cross the streets tomorrow and go to the Craftsmen Bureau to beg for forgiveness!”
Xia Qi smiled slightly and said," Ever since Shennong identified the five grains, the land of the Xia has used the five grains as food. Until today, there has been no change. Old General, don't worry. I'm not someone who doesn't know anything about farming. How dare I speak nonsense on such matters?”
At this time, rice had not yet been popularized throughout the country.
As such, Great Qin's Five Grains referred to hemp, millet, millet, wheat, and beans.
The reason why these things were called food was because they could be used as staple food. It was obvious how important they were to Great Qin.
Therefore, since ancient times, grains had been extremely important in people's minds.
Xia Qi took out two things at once, saying that they were both grains.
If this matter was confirmed, then the five grains that had been popular in the land of the Xia for thousands of years would become six or even seven grains.
This was an achievement that could save the lives of thousands of people and save thousands of generations.
Such an achievement was enough to make the person who discovered them become a saint.
Compared to Wang Jian, Brother Zheng was relatively calmer.
However, he still stood up and walked to Xia Qi's side, picking up the sweet potatoes and corn.
The people that Xia Qi sent out to sea only had Xia Qi's hand-drawn drawings and did not understand the growth habits of sweet potatoes and corn.
To ensure that nothing went wrong, they only brought these two things back intact.
At this moment, the sweet potato in Brother Zheng's hand was still stained with soil.
However, Brother Zheng did not mind at all. Instead, he looked happy.
After watching for a while, Brother Zheng casually handed the sweet potatoes and corn to Wang Jian, who was already eager to try.
"How many sweet potatoes and corn are produced?”
As the emperor, when a new type of grain appeared, the first consideration was naturally the problem of production.
"Sweet potatoes can be planted in spring and summer, and they don't care about the soil fertility. They can be planted even in relatively barren fields. The corn was relatively more expensive and had some requirements on the soil fertility. However, the production of both was not bad. The yield per mu of corn was about five dan, and the yield per mu of sweet potatoes was…fifteen dan!”
"Not bad…"
Brother Zheng nodded. Then, he was suddenly stunned.
"How much did you say?"
Xia Qi had long expected Brother Zheng's reaction.
"Five stones of corn and fifteen stones of sweet potatoes!”
In an instant, the hall fell silent.
Clang!
With another sound, the sweet potato in Wang Jian's hand fell to the floor.
"Heavens, fifteen stones!"
After a long time, they finally heard Wang Jian shout out loudly. That voice had a kind of heart-wrenching feeling when it was heard.
When he noticed that Brother Zheng was looking at him as if he wanted to kill someone, he finally realized.
Wang Jian pounced like a tiger and laid on the ground in a comical posture. He carefully picked up the sweet potato and placed it on the table beside him.
Then, he gave himself a slap without hesitation and knelt down in front of Brother Zheng.
"Your Majesty, I was too rash. If such an auspicious sign of the country is destroyed because of my mistake. I will die ten thousand times!"
Xia Qi smiled and said,"General Wang, there's no need to be nervous. This sweet potato is different from ordinary food." The fruit was also a seed, but it could not be planted whole. Instead, it had to be cut into pieces and planted into the ground to survive.”
Hearing Xia Qi's words, only then did Brother Zheng and Wang Jian heave a long sigh of relief in unison.
"Such food can indeed be called an auspicious sign for the country!”
Brother Zheng turned his head to look at Xia Qi." The issue of food is a matter of national importance. We can't be careless. Try planting it as soon as possible." Those who go out to sea have made great contributions. You must make proper arrangements.”
Xia Qi nodded.
Sweet potatoes and corn, these two things, were really too shocking.
No matter how much Brother Zheng trusted him, he would never joke about such things.
Therefore, it was necessary to test the seeds.
As for those who went out to sea, Brother Zheng did not personally reward them, but it did not mean that Brother Zheng did not value them.
It was because he knew that those people were Xia Qi's subordinates, and it was best for Xia Qi to settle them down.
"You can choose any land in the pass. I allow you to have no taboos in the trial planting.”
After Xia Qi left, Brother Zheng picked up the huge sweet potato again and couldn't put it down.
At this moment, in Brother Zheng's eyes, no treasure in the world could compare to this dirty sweet potato in his hand.
"Xia Qi is really my lucky star!”Brother Zheng smiled and sighed.
"Your Majesty, if these sweet potatoes and corn are really as magical as Gongzi Qi said, then I will not let them go. No, not to mention 15 dans per mu, even if we could produce 5 dans per mu, Great Qin would no longer have to worry about famine!”
Wang Jian said with an excited expression.
Food was simply too important to Great Qin!
When Qin was founded, generations of Guanzhong people were determined to go east.
Why?
Although Guanzhong was nourished by the Wei River, there were no tributaries of the Wei River. Only a small part of the land along the river was suitable for farming.
Therefore, the desire of the Guanzhong people for food had never stopped.
It could even be said that this desire had seeped into his bones and fused into his bloodline.
Even now, Great Qin had unified all of China and completed the long-cherished wish of many generations of ancestors in Brother Zheng's hands.
However, the people of the world still did not have enough to eat.
Were they not skilled enough?
Were they lazy?
Neither!
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