No one knows what Shen Lang's significance is to the Song Dynasty.

Zhao Huan sent him to that new continent, thinking it would take at least ten years, but he returned in less than four years!

He must have brought something Zhao Huan wanted!

Those things were of paramount importance in solving the basic needs of the Song Dynasty.

Shao Chengzhang, of course, could not understand why the emperor would mobilize the former guards just to escort Shen Lang. He quickly carried the emperor's decree and rushed toward Han Shizhong's army.

The historian wrote: In the sixth year of the Jingkang era, the south suffered a severe drought, leaving the land barren for thousands of miles.

Of course, the historians also recorded that in that year, Shen Lang returned from overseas and brought back grains that the Song Dynasty had never seen before.

Ten days later, Shen Lang appeared before Zhao Huan.

Although only three years have passed, Shen Lang now seems to be a completely different person from the Shen Lang when Zhao Huan saw him off.

Having spent years at sea, his skin was tanned from falls, his lips were cracked, and he had cut his hair short for convenience, making him look particularly unusual.

"Your subject, Shen Lang, pays his respects to Your Majesty!"

As Shen Lang spoke, tears welled up in his eyes and streamed down his rough cheeks.

He traveled for over a thousand days and nights, enduring hardships along the way that would last him a whole year.

It can be said that he never had a good night's sleep during those more than a thousand days and nights.

He had to outwit and outmaneuver pirates, and he even stopped in Japan once, where he nearly died.

He encountered enormous creatures at sea and frequently faced raging storms.

Many of his crew members died of dehydration, and many contracted strange illnesses.

When he arrived at the new continent the emperor had described, a number of people died from illness due to the change in environment.

If it weren't for the help from local people, none of them would have survived.

May Heaven bless the Great Song Dynasty, may Heaven bless China.

In short, the hardships involved are difficult to describe.

Zhao Huan could certainly imagine the difficulties Shen Lang was facing.

He even prepared for Shen Lang to die outside.

"Minister Shen, you've suffered!"

The emperor held Shen Lang's hands, his eyes blazing with fervent light.

"I will serve Your Majesty with utmost loyalty, even unto death!"

Zhang Ru, who also said those words, is indeed dead, but Shen Lang would never do the same thing as Zhang Ru.

Moreover, Zhao Huan also wanted Shen Lang to help the Song Dynasty open up a new world!

Zhao Huan had already ignited the flames of the industrial revolution in the Song Dynasty, and the new seafaring that accompanied the industrial revolution would inevitably stir up unprecedented waves in the Song Dynasty.

Zhao Huan believed that even if those historians exhausted all their words in their entire lives, they would not be able to praise the achievements of him and his era.

The emperor and his minister then held a candlelit talk in the palace late into the night.

Shen Lang told Zhao Huan what he had seen and heard.

For three whole days and three nights, just like when Wei Yang told Duke Xiao of Qin about his strategy for enriching the country and strengthening the army!

On the fourth day, the emperor still did not attend court, nor did he inquire about the drought in the south.

Instead, she and Shen Lang started digging and planting in the Imperial Garden.