No one can stop the Central Plains people’s yearning for food.
Even toddlers wearing bellybands know how to follow adults and pick up fallen rice during the busy farming season.
Food is something this nation has been pursuing for thousands of years.
No one can change it.
Xia Yuanji silently looked at His Royal Highness the Crown Prince, hoping to draw some conclusions from his expression.
At this time, there was a team of Jinyi guards on board the Fortune to protect the safety of the grandson.
If this lion opens his mouth, or asks for a reward that Ming Dynasty cannot give.
Xia Yuanji was ready to overstep his authority and force the Jin Yiwei to kill all these barbarians.
Zhu Yunxi smiled silently and watched the changes in the people around him.
Fanchong, a barbarian who came from afar to bring back countless goods from the Ming Dynasty so that he could exchange for huge wealth when he returned home.
Regardless of whether it is right or not, Xia Yuanji must be snatched away first.
Zhu Yunxi spoke softly: "Yes or no, without verification, I don't know."
Fan Chong is a very shrewd Spanish businessman. He is not one of the blood relatives of the Spanish royal family who is so destitute that he needs to go to sea.
His blood relationship with the royal family allowed him to buy the most powerful warship in Spain, and sail all the way with goods and money, and the wealth he brought out continued to expand.
The East, on the European continent, is a land covered with gold.
Fortunately, this transaction in Ming Dynasty should allow me to re-enter the center of power in Spain.
And the young grandson of the Ming Emperor in front of him seems to be able to give him more benefits.
After all, this is a crown prince who is deeply loved by His Majesty the Ming Emperor and has just returned in triumph.
Just a moment of thought.
Fan Chong imitated the etiquette of the Ming Dynasty, bowed and joined hands, with an extremely pious attitude: "Your Highness, Your Highness, the Emperor, it will be Fortune's greatest honor if I can present this to Your Highness."
"Your conduct is so noble, the Ming Dynasty will always remember it." Zhu Yunxi said in a calm tone: "The Fortune will be an important bridge between the Ming Dynasty and Spain. The Ming Dynasty not only hopes to send a treasure fleet to escort the European eunuchs back home, but also hopes to
We can send officials from the Ministry of Rites to Spain to discuss exchanges between the two countries with the Spanish monarch."
The Ming Dynasty, the most powerful ancient country in the Far East, with a land far more vast than the whole of Europe, actually wanted to send officials to Spain!
This is something unprecedented!
This is a far lower tax rate than what I had in Ming Dynasty, and having an official position in Ming Dynasty brings greater benefits!
Because he was the first official to bring back officials from the Far Eastern countries to Europe and arrive in Spain.
If I really become the bridge between the Far East and the West...
Fan Chong lowered his head: "I would like to spread the will of the noble grandson of the Ming Dynasty across the land of Europe. From Spain to Eastern Europe, from the Roman Empire to the Ottoman Empire, France, and Byzantium, the noble grandson of the Ming Dynasty will be spread.
His Highness’s name.”
Zhu Yunxi thought about Genghis Khan's life, and then smiled.
"The Ming Dynasty will present a batch of silk, porcelain, and furniture to the European Eunuch, as well as some gifts, which I hope can be delivered to the Spanish monarch by the European Eunuch."
"Your noble and kind-hearted Crown Prince, your generous nature has been deeply rooted in the whole of Spain."
A transaction between the East and the West has finally come to an end.
Xia Yuanji, who was ready to go under the knife, took the four most burly guards and carried the sweet potatoes and the entire oak barrel from the stern of the Fortune to the dock.
"I respectfully send you to Your Highness the Imperial Grandson. I hope that Your Highness will be more heroic than the sun and that the country in the East will always be strong."
From a distant relative of the Spanish royal family to an official of the Ming Dynasty, Fan Chong, who was about to bring the Ming Dynasty people back to China, was full of expectations for a wealthy and noble life in the future. He sent Zhu Yunxi away from the Longwan Pier on the Fortune ship until
The Waijinchuan Gate was stopped by Zhu Yunxi.
After entering the city, Xia Yuanji's eyes never left the sweet potato vine placed on the carriage.
Zhu Yunxi glanced at the other party lightly.
Then he coughed lightly.
Xia Yuanji hurriedly came to his senses and bowed down to plead guilty: "I have overstepped my bounds today. I ask Your Highness to condescend to me and go out of the palace to meet foreign barbarian merchants. This is for the sake of the Ming Dynasty."
Zhu Yunxi nodded calmly.
If we follow the normal procedures and rules, Xia Yuanji should be the first to ask the East Palace today to ask when he will be free to meet Fan Chong, a Spanish businessman.
Then, he will give a time, and Xia Yuanji will bring people into the palace.
Considering Fan Chong's identity and status, he naturally cannot enter the East Palace. The dormitory in front of Wenhua Palace to the east of Fengtian Palace is suitable.
Instead of like today, when Xia Yuanji, as a minister, asked the emperor's grandson to leave the palace, Zhu Yunxi went directly out of the palace to meet a foreign merchant.
This is not in line with the proper status of the grandson of the Emperor of the Ming Dynasty.
But Xia Yuanji did do this, and of course he had his reasons.
Xia Yuanji looked around and whispered: "I heard that there seemed to be sweet potatoes on board the Fortune, but I was not sure. I also knew that Fan Chong had some plans, so I boldly asked His Highness to come out of the palace. What I did
It’s today that shocked the barbarian merchants in one fell swoop.”
"It's a sweet potato, that's right." Zhu Yunxi silently looked back at a bucket of sweet potato vines with branches and leaves ready for cutting.
If he could get the sweet potatoes, he would be willing to make another trip to Jiaozhi Road.
Xia Yuanji gritted his teeth, made a fist with one hand and slammed his fist heavily on his palm, his face flushed: "What a sweet potato! Can it really produce more than ten shi per acre?"
Zhu Yunxi ignored this topic.
After looking at the people who were heading to Shanglinyuan Prison, he said: "Let people keep an eye on all the Yi people in the Ming Dynasty, prohibit them from buying all books except the Four Books and Five Classics sages, and strictly check the contacts between the people of the Ming Dynasty, and the craftsmen and the Yi people.
."
Xia Yuanji was a little puzzled and looked confused.
"Just ban all books except Confucian classics?"
Zhu Yunxi hummed, but did not give any explanation to Xia Yuanji.
Because people at this time didn’t understand what this was for.
From the long Middle Ages to suddenly entering the scientific era in a few hundred years?
They just relied on the wisdom of the Central Plains and took the last step without the constraints of thought!
After thinking for a while, Zhu Yunxi explained softly: "I don't hope that one day, the barbarians will drive a warship bigger than a treasure ship and dock at Longwan Pier, and we and other future generations can only bow our heads and obey orders, just like today's barbarians.
People are generally pious and respectful."
A ship bigger than a treasure ship.
The artillery equipped with it is terrifying and bigger than the artillery at the top of Yingtian City.
With such skills, the opponent's army must far surpass the Ming Dynasty.
Such barbarians...
Xia Yuanji immediately shook his head.
We must never allow such barbarians to appear!
Xia Yuanji immediately waved his sleeves and handed over his hands: "I will discuss with the various ministries and offices, respect your highness's order, and never let a word of my Central Plains spread to the land of Europe."
Zhu Yunxi smiled and said: "Brother Wei Zhe, this world is very big. Fan Chong and other barbarian merchants can cross the sea from thousands of miles away, which is not something that our government can despise."
The vast land, abundant resources, and richness from all over the world are the strength of the Central Plains, but they can also become the arrogance of the Central Plains.
Xia Yuanji nodded: "I have had a lot of contact with barbarian merchants recently. I lamented the barbarian people's fighting spirit. Although they are not familiar with etiquette, the individual barbarians are far beyond the comparison of the people of our dynasty. If such a country is civilized, it will have powerful weapons.
, the ambition hidden behind it will definitely endanger our Central Plains."
"So, we must make sure that the people of Ming Dynasty can have full stomachs."
"After the people can have enough to eat, we will also let the people eat better."
"Let children grow more tendon meat and become invincible through training."
Zhu Yunxi turned his head and looked at Xia Yuanji with a smile on his face.
Eat well, eat well, and grow well.
Xia Yuanji's eyes kept flickering. If Ming could really do these three things, he would probably be the only Ming in the future.
This will probably become my lifelong dream of becoming an official.
Xia Yuanji secretly thought, and then looked at Zhu Yunxi: "Your Highness, the barbarian merchants are bound to come this time. Do we really want to send a treasure fleet and officials from the Ministry of Rites to Spain...?"
Zhu Yunxi smiled and said: "Know yourself and your enemy. The Ming Dynasty's ships are bigger and its soldiers are more powerful. Foreigners who shouldn't be allowed to come, but I can't go to the court. The Ministry of Rites will send officials, but the Jinyi Guards will also have people accompanying them."
Hearing this, Xia Yuanji raised his eyebrows.
The treasure fleet took the officials of the Ministry of Rites to Spain, which was the purpose of the exchange between the two countries. The Ministry of Rites did the same thing, but this time it went to a farther place.
But if the Jin Yiwei is sent to accompany them, things will not be as simple as establishing official contacts with Spain.
Taisun has always been wary of the barbarians and has a deep grudge against the barbarians.
Strictly prevent barbarians from obtaining writing and knowledge from the Central Plains.
Now that the Jin Yiwei is sent to Spain, it is naturally impossible for these killers to negotiate and establish relations with the Spanish monarch, nor can they kill people in Spain.
So what else can these people do if they go to Spain?
Pry into the terrain, power, and national conditions...
Xia Yuanji thought of many things in an instant.
Then, he looked at the emperor's grandson walking in front with ambiguous eyes.
The great grandson of the Emperor has great plans!
It's just thousands of miles away, does the Ming Dynasty really have a chance to reach the land of Europe like it conquered Cochin?
As this idea came to mind, Xia Yuanji could not help but deduce countless possibilities.
A Ming Dynasty with a vast territory far beyond the peak period of the Yuan Dynasty?
Xia Yuanji felt that his internal organs were trembling.
But when such a Ming Dynasty appears, how will people from all over the world be connected?
There are also a series of questions that follow.
Unknowingly, Xia Yuanji felt that his whole head was boiling and it was difficult to suppress it.
The back of his head was throbbing, making Xia Yuanji frown.
At this time, Zhu Yunxi, who had been walking in front, suddenly stopped and turned to look at Xia Yuanji, whose head was twitching.
What's wrong with this guy?
Suppressing the doubts in his heart, Zhu Yunxi smiled and asked: "Brother Wei Zhe, can you do farm work?"
"Huh? Huh?" Xia Yuanji was still thinking about the Ming Dynasty's conquest of Europa at this time. Hearing this, his face was blank. After a while, his face turned red and he said: "I studied when I was young and did farm work in the fields." p>
Zhu Yunxi smiled and clapped his hands: "In that case, we are relieved."
After finishing speaking, Zhu Yunxi turned around and stepped into a mansion gate.
Xia Yuanji raised his head.
Shanglinyuan Supervisor.
They have actually gone from the riverside pier in the west of the city to the foot of Shenlie Mountain in the east of the city.
Xia Yuanji resisted the deductions and doubts in his mind and entered the Shanglinyuan Prison Yamen with the oak barrel containing sweet potato vines carried by Jin Yiwei.
"I respectfully welcome Your Highness."
By the front lakeside inside Shanglin Yuan Prison, Yuan Sutai no longer wears official robes at all, and even a group of Shanglin Yuan Prison officials wear farmers' clothes to go to the Yamen all day long.
Xia Yuanji was following behind Zhu Yunxi, looking at the group of officials in front of him with doubts and curiosity, who were now members of the Shanglin Garden Supervisor of Tongwu Temple.
Very different from other officials in the court.
This is Xia Yuanji’s first impression.
Zhu Yunxi had already smiled and said: "I got a few new seeds from the Yi merchants today, and I want Yuan Jianzheng and Shanglin Yuanjian to seize the time to cultivate them this year."
Yuan Sutai nodded respectfully like an old farmer: "I will definitely do my best to cultivate new species."
Everyone raised their heads sharply: "But the new species that His Highness offered a reward for a few days ago?"
Zhu Yunxi nodded and waved: "These are peppers. The seeds are all raw. Although it is a little late to plant and cultivate seedlings at this time, it is not too late. I have seen that there are roughly three types, and Shanglin Yuanjian has to plant them separately.
."
Then, Zhu Yunxi pointed to the oak barrel that was carried over.
"This thing is a sweet potato, which can make our Ming people full. It is not suitable to be planted in waterlogged areas, nor can it be planted in clay soil. It should be chosen on soft sandy land with little water. Plant the branched seedlings by cuttings and dilute the agricultural fertilizer.
Nourishing.”
Yuan Sutai's eyes shined as he listened to Zhu Yunxi's introduction.
He repeatedly greeted the officials from the same government behind him: "Take pepper seeds and plant them in the newly cultivated vegetable field by the front lake. Send someone to take care of them, prevent insects, and record the growth every day. This season, we will focus on breeding. Next time
You need to cultivate again every season to distinguish the difference in planting."
Several officials immediately took the old farmer from Shanglinyuan Prison and took away the bag of chili peppers.
Zhu Yunxi did not stop him.
Since the 25th year of Hongwu, Shanglin Yuanjian has made long-term development in cultivating crops. Nowadays, people have begun to try hybrid Shanglin Yuanjian. Simply cultivating peppers is not difficult.
In the end, Yuan Sutai put all his energy and attention on the oak barrel in front of him.
Something to fill your stomach.
Planting by cuttings.
The soil is soft.
Every word Taisun said was engraved in his mind.
In a flash, Yuan Sutai raised his hand and said: "Between Qianhu and Pipa Lake, there is a piece of land with quite soft and dry soil, which is sandy land. The surrounding forest has just been cut down this year, and the light is sufficient. I think it is enough to plant sweet potatoes from cuttings."
When Zhu Yunxi heard that there was such a place in Shanglinyuan Prison, he was still willing to wait.
Who knows how long this bucket of sweet potato vines can continue to produce? According to Fan Chong, there were originally several other buckets of branches and leaves that had withered and the sweet potatoes were rotten.
He didn't dare to stay too long.
Immediately, a group of people went to the sandy land with little water between Qianhu and Bipa Lake.
"First we need to rid the ground and make drainage ditches, and then we can start cuttings."
Looking at the land that had been plowed, Zhu Yunxi gave direct instructions.
Sweet potatoes are really easy to grow.
Even if you have a piece of dry land, prepare it a little, insert the branches and leaves into the soil, and irrigate it with diluted agricultural fertilizer, there will be almost no need to take care of it afterwards.
Yuan Sutai nodded and waved his big hand, which was already covered with soil. Immediately, a group of Shanglin Yuan Supervisor officials wearing farm clothes led a group of old farmers into the field and started to make ridging.
Taking advantage of this opportunity, Yuan Sutai went to the oak barrel again, stretched out his hand to pinch off a branch and leaf, and looked at Zhu Yunxi: "Your Highness, just cut it into the ground like this? Can this thing really make the people of Ming Dynasty full?" p>
Xia Yuanji, who was on the side, felt something in his heart, and took a few steps forward, wanting to get a closer look at the Superintendent of Shanglinyuan who had reached the third rank.
Zhu Yunxi also walked to the oak barrel and waved to invite Yuan Sutai and Xia Yuanji to come over and share the sweet potato vines.
Several officials from Shanglinyuan Prison immediately came forward diligently and stood aside with a bamboo basket, so that they could wait for the grandson and the supervisor to separate the sweet potato vines and put them into the bamboo basket.
Zhu Yunxi said while dividing the pieces: "Sweet potatoes are the easiest crop to grow, and they do not require soil fertility. And not all the land in the Ming Dynasty was good paddy fields, and there were countless dry lands. In the past, rice was grown.
, wheat production was insufficient, but now sweet potatoes can make up for the poor output of dry land, and the yield is far higher than that of rice!"
"Your Highness, may I ask how much sweet potatoes can be produced per acre?"
Yuan Sutai stopped what he was doing and looked at the emperor's grandson in front of him sincerely.
Zhu Yunxi was stunned for a moment.
I quickly converted the weight in my head.
Once it's about 120 pounds.
What is the yield per mu of sweet potatoes?
Two thousand to three thousand kilograms.
That’s an output of forty or fifty shi per mu.
Just...
"It is estimated that the yield per mu is no less than twenty stones!"
Zhu Yunxi finally gave an extremely satisfying figure for the yield per mu.
After all, the sweet potatoes at this time obviously cannot be compared with those of later generations. The high-yielding sweet potatoes of later generations were cultivated and improved.
However.
The familiar words of twenty stone are spoken.
The entire situation was in an uproar, and then fell into deep silence.
Xia Yuanji opened his mouth. He clearly remembered that when he was in the palace, His Highness Taisun was talking about ten stones per mother. At that time, he and others were extremely disbelieving. Even Prince Yan refuted angrily. Now His Highness Taisun actually said that the yield of sweet potatoes can reach 20 dan per mu!
Twenty stones!
There was a clang.
Yuan Sutai, the supervisor of Shanglinyuan who had been classified as a third-grade servant, was completely lost and fell to the ground with a crash.
On the side, the officials surrounding the three people were also shocked, as if they had heard a book from heaven.
"Twenty stones!"
"The yield per mu is twenty stones..."
"The most productive fields in Ming Dynasty today only produce three or four stones per mu..."
"Woooooooooo..."
"If... woo woo... if we could produce twenty shi per acre..."
"I am a great Ming Dynasty and will never be given any more gifts!"
A moment later, Yuan Sutai, the dignified supervisor of Linyuan from the third rank, was already crying loudly.
While choking and sobbing, he kept sobbing and said: "Twenty stones... twenty stones... with only ten stones, my Ming Dynasty can never add more gifts! Then I can always be the orthodox of the Central Plains!"
Yuan Sutai began to cry.
The entire sweet potato field, from the officials of Shanglin Yuan Supervisor to the farmers employed by Shanglin Yuan Supervisor, also started crying.
For a time, at the foot of Shenlie Mountain, there were continuous cries.