"Um, Master, roasted sweet potato, is it the same as roasted 'colorful rat'?"
A newly arrived apprentice in the imperial kitchen asked the head chef a question, but before he could finish speaking, he received a sharp rap on the head.
"Fool, when have you ever seen a hot, red rat?"
The people in the Imperial Household Department had no idea what sweet potatoes were. They remembered that the palace servants had said that this food was a commoner's food, so they sent someone out of the palace to inquire about it.
The imperial kitchen staff were anxiously sending people outside the palace to inquire about what sweet potatoes were. Meanwhile, Emperor Beichen was so angry in his study that he almost stripped the official in charge of agriculture of his "hat" (a symbol of official rank).
Seeing Emperor Beichen so angry, Nong Zheng was terrified and broke out in a sweat despite the cold weather. However, in order to protect his official position, he mustered up his courage and spoke.
"Your Majesty, I have searched the area within a hundred miles these past few days, but no one knows what this sweet potato is. Could it be that the people of Beinan Jing are deliberately using this sweet potato to deceive us? In reality, they want to take advantage of our relaxed vigilance and join forces with Dongli to attack us?"
Upon hearing Nong Zheng's words, Emperor Beichen was about to curse him. In his opinion, if Nan Jing truly wanted to unite with Dong Li, there was no need to create something entirely fictitious, as that would only make it easier to expose the truth. He couldn't help but want to curse Nong Zheng as a fool.
Before he could even speak, something suddenly occurred to him, his eyes lit up, and he asked.
"Isn't Yuanning Prefecture the neighboring prefecture between Beichen and Nanjing?"
The farmer was confused. Wasn't this supposed to be about sweet potatoes? How did it get tangent to Yuanning Prefecture? But to avoid being scolded, he quickly replied.
"Your Majesty, the neighboring prefecture of Beichen and Nanjing is Yuanning Prefecture."
"Alright, you can go now..."
Nong Zheng was completely baffled by Emperor Beichen's series of actions, but when he heard Emperor Beichen order him to leave, he felt as if he had been granted a pardon and hurriedly withdrew.
As soon as the people left, Emperor Beichen sent someone to summon Nangong Ling and his wife and two children to the palace. He remembered that his Princess Changning lived in a small town in Yuanning Prefecture.
Thinking of the magical thing in Han Yiyi's hand, Emperor Beichen guessed that this sweet potato might have been obtained by Han Yiyi from her system.
Thinking of this, Emperor Beichen couldn't help but smile.
Meanwhile, inside the General's Mansion, the two little ones were happily eating freshly roasted sweet potatoes. The Nangong couple, watching the golden-brown sweet potatoes and smelling the sweet aroma in the air, couldn't help but swallow hard.
They hadn't forgotten the watermelon Han Yiyi had brought back then; its taste was unforgettable. And this one looked just as mouthwatering!
At this moment, they were all a little puzzled as to where Han Yiyi got so many delicious and novel foods.
Han Yiyi watched the two old people swallowing their saliva incessantly and couldn't help but chuckle to herself. She quickly took two more out from the bottom of the pot and handed them over.
"It's a little hot, be careful..."
Upon seeing this, Nangong Ling quickly stepped forward and took it.
"Your Highness, I thank you!"
As the sweet potato entered their mouths, the two elderly people squinted their eyes, each with a look of pure enjoyment on their faces.
"This, this is sweet potato! I have never eaten such a soft, sweet, and delicious food before!"
The old lady of the Nangong family, who was standing to the side, nodded repeatedly as she listened. At this moment, she seemed to be too busy to speak until she finished eating the whole sweet potato before she finally spoke.
"Yes, this old woman has never eaten anything so delicious before," she suddenly remembered something and changed her words, "Oh, right, there was also that watermelon last time, it was also very delicious, each has its own merits, each has its own merits..." As she spoke, she put her eyes on the stove.
Because both Nangong Ling and his wife were getting on in years, they especially loved this kind of soft and chewy food.
Meanwhile, the servants outside the kitchen, smelling the aroma wafting from inside, were swallowing hard, wishing they could rush in and see what their masters were eating.
Han Yiyi wasn't stingy, and besides, she had brought several hundred kilograms with her this time. After taking all the roasted meat out from under the stove, she left some raw meat for the servants to roast themselves.
Just as Nangong Ling and his wife were enjoying their meal, they heard a servant say that someone from the palace had arrived. They quickly put down the sweet potatoes and went to greet them.
Upon hearing from the eunuch that Emperor Beichen was anxious to see them and the two children, the two of them, without bothering to tidy themselves up, took Zicheng and Zihui and followed the eunuch into the palace.
Originally, Han Yiyi came to the capital to enter the palace and ask Emperor Beichen for something, but she was in no hurry and did not enter the palace with the four of them.
Upon seeing the two adults and two children being led in by the eunuch, Emperor Beichen no longer hesitated and hurriedly asked.
"Zicheng, Zihui, do you know what a sweet potato is?"
The reason Emperor Beichen asked the two children was that they had been living with Han Yiyi in Yuanning Prefecture. If the sweet potato was indeed something Han Yiyi had created, the two little ones would surely know about it.
"Your Majesty, we know! We just ate some, and it was delicious!"
"Yes, we just ate some. Would Your Majesty like some too?"
Upon hearing what the two little ones said, Emperor Beichen's eyes lit up, and he quickly asked further questions.
"We just ate. Where did you eat? Who fed you?"
Because Emperor Beichen's voice was too excited, the two little ones were so frightened that they hid behind Nangong Ling and his wife. Seeing this, Nangong Ling quickly spoke up.
"Your Majesty, we did indeed just eat sweet potatoes. They were brought from Ping'an Town by the princess. Her things are called sweet potatoes, but I don't know if they are the same thing Your Majesty is talking about!"
"Changning has gone to the capital. Where is she now? Is she at the General's Mansion? Did she really take the sweet potato?"
Because Nangong Ling is getting old, and the General's Mansion has Zicheng and Zihui, he has focused his attention on the two little ones and rarely pays attention to the affairs of the court. Therefore, he did not know that Emperor Beichen had been sending people to investigate the sweet potato matter.
Therefore, he did not know why Emperor Beichen was so excited when he heard about Han Yiyi and Hongshu, but he still replied.
"Your Majesty, yes, Princess Changning just arrived in the capital today. The sweet potatoes were brought by Her Highness, and Her Highness is currently at my residence!"
"Ha! Ha! Ha! Hahaha! Good! Good! Good indeed, worthy of being a princess personally appointed by me."
Upon hearing Nangong Ling's definite answer, Emperor Beichen burst into laughter and hurriedly ordered someone to go to the General's Mansion to invite Han Yiyi, and also to bring the sweet potatoes into the palace.
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