The emperor bowed and rose from his seat, walked to several large boxes, picked up the birthday gifts inside, and examined them carefully.

There were people nearby who introduced them to the emperor one by one.

When the emperor learned that part of Zhao Xian's birthday gift consisted of delicious snacks made from sweet potatoes and potatoes, he was immediately excited.

"Bring the snacks here, I want to have a good taste." After saying this, the emperor went to the table and sat down again.

Soon, a eunuch stepped forward and placed the snacks on the emperor's desk.

The emperor once ate roasted sweet potatoes at a prince's mansion and found the taste of roasted sweet potatoes to be very unique, which he has never forgotten.

These snacks are made with sweet potatoes and potatoes, and they have a rich aroma; they must taste delicious.

Several eunuchs unwrapped the pastries one by one, carefully placed them on small plates, and handed them to the emperor.

The emperor accepted the snacks and began to taste them.

The emperor had been sitting here since early morning, and by now, after the event had been going on for so long, he was getting a little hungry. These sweet and delicious snacks whetted his appetite.

There were also many members of the royal family and civil and military officials in the hall. Seeing how happy the emperor was eating, and with the aroma of the pastries wafting over, their appetites were already whetted.

The emperor wanted to try every kind of dessert on the table, but his stomach was already full.

Only then did the emperor look around and see that everyone was staring at him, clearly showing that they were very interested in the snacks on the table.

The snacks had already been opened, and I couldn't possibly eat them all myself. Now was the perfect time to share the joy with the people, so I spoke up.

"My dear ministers, these snacks were made by Zhao Shaoqing using potatoes and sweet potatoes. They taste really good. Come and have a taste."

Once sweet potatoes and potatoes are widely available throughout the country, and ordinary people can enjoy these delicious snacks, the Great Northern Dynasty will be free from famine.

Seeing that the emperor had spoken, the crowd stopped being polite and began to step forward to taste the pastries on the table.

The snacks were quickly devoured, and there were still some unopened snacks in the box. The emperor was reluctant to give them to everyone; he wanted to keep them to take back to his palace.

Next, the emperor began to examine the other birthday gifts that Zhao Xian had sent, which were mostly clothing and household items.

Most of these birthday gifts were made of cotton, which the emperor had never seen before, so the people around him began to explain.

When the emperor learned that these cotton products were made from a crop called white saucer, he was both surprised and delighted.

The emperor knew that once this crop called "white berries" was widely adopted, it would greatly improve the living conditions of the people.

The weather in the capital was already a bit cold. The emperor picked up a pair of gloves and put them on, immediately feeling warmer.

The cotton products that Zhao Xian sent were of a considerable variety and quantity. These items were very effective at keeping warm. The emperor was reluctant to give them away to others; he wanted to keep them for the empress and several imperial concubines.

The birthday gifts sent by Zhao Xian were quickly carried away, and the eunuch continued to read aloud:

"Li Guang from Shuixian Village presents a birthday gift."

Upon hearing the name Li Guang, everyone was taken aback at first, then began to discuss it amongst themselves. Now everyone knew that Li Guang was the young prince.

Li Guang also sent birthday gifts, which immediately excited the emperor.

"Quickly present Qing'er's birthday gift; I want to take a look."

Soon, a young eunuch presented Li Guang's birthday gift, which the emperor mistook for a painting or calligraphy, as it was exquisitely framed.

The emperor placed it on his desk, unfolded it, and prepared to appreciate it.

When the emperor discovered that the birthday gift Li Guang had sent was a map, his eyes widened immediately.

The ministers were a little puzzled, because on the emperor's birthday, people usually chose rare treasures, antiques, and calligraphy and paintings to present to the emperor.

It was already unusual for Zhao Xian to send the emperor some food and supplies, but Li Guang actually sent him a map, which was something they had never seen before.

Maps existed in ancient times, primarily for military applications, and were also carried by people when traveling.

Maps from that era were not very accurate and could only be used as a reference.

What kind of map was the one Li Guang presented to the emperor that made the emperor so excited?

The emperor was still intently studying the map, muttering to himself:

"I see it. This is our Great Northern Dynasty. Everything is on it, and it's very clear."

"I never imagined the Great Northern Dynasty's territory was so vast; this is the true map of our Great Northern Dynasty."

Through this map, the emperor quickly gained a clear understanding of the geography within the Great Northern Dynasty and some surrounding countries.

"My beloved ministers, come and take a look at this map. It was drawn by Qing'er herself. The mountains, rivers, lakes, and islands of our Great Northern Dynasty, as well as some surrounding countries, are all clearly shown at a glance."

The emperor was so excited that everyone went to the table and looked at the map in front of them.

After looking at the map, everyone was amazed. Li Guang was not only good at leading troops into battle, but also had such a good understanding of the geography of the Northern Dynasty and the surrounding countries.

The young prince has been away from the capital for three years. What exactly did he go through that made him so powerful?

At this moment, the emperor waved his hand and said that there were still some birthday gifts left, but he didn't want to look at them anymore. He ordered them all to be put into storage. This map was the best gift the emperor had received on his birthday.

After the birthday gifts are stored away, the birthday celebration can be considered to truly begin, with each item proceeding in turn.

This year has been an extraordinary one for the Northern Dynasty, as the court promoted two important crops, which have benefited all the people.

This year, the Great Northern Dynasty suffered an invasion by foreign enemies, and its people suffered a heavy disaster. Even the emperor of the Great Northern Dynasty almost became a prisoner.

Fortunately, these were just hardships, and the Great Northern Dynasty survived them, but they also exposed some problems within the Great Northern Dynasty.

The emperor wanted to take advantage of this year's birthday celebration to introduce some policies that would benefit the people, ease some social conflicts, and make the Northern Dynasty's rule more stable.

On the second day of the Emperor's birthday, the Emperor instructed Minister Yao to begin planning the promotion of white sesame seeds. He also ordered the Ministry of War's Bureau of Military Affairs to draw some maps based on Li Guang's map of the Northern Dynasties and to strengthen the management of these maps.

The map that Li Guang presented to the emperor on his birthday was kept by the emperor and treasured like a precious gem.

After the Emperor's birthday celebrations, the weather grew increasingly cold, something that hadn't happened in previous years.

During the morning court session that day, the emperor brought up the matter of the foreign kingdoms again. Last time, he had driven away the foreign envoys and given them three months to give a response.

More than two months have passed, and it's still so cold in the Central Plains. I imagine the northern nomadic lands are already covered in ice and snow, with mountains blocked by heavy snow.

At this time, even if the foreign country wanted to send an envoy, it wouldn't be able to. Even if it wanted to come, it would have to wait until March or April of next year, when the ice and snow melt.