Chapter 109. Chapter 109 is about potatoes. We're saved! ...
Persuading Emperor Renzong was a simple matter.
No, it wasn't even persuasion. When he mentioned it to Emperor Renzong, the latter agreed almost without any hesitation. He simply asked him with interest, "Oh? Is there anything special about it that makes Su'er take notice?"
Fusu stopped acting and just spoke the truth.
"I heard it in my dream."
He heard about a vague, indistinct location in his dream, and now he wants to report it to the Emperor? And he even has the audacity to demand that the Emperor lead all his officials out? It sounds incredibly unbelievable, but the Emperor finds it perfectly reasonable. What did Su'er dream about last time? Cotton. And the time before that? Key information about the Song-Xia negotiation victory.
His son has always had some kind of supernatural ability about him.
Emperor Renzong sighed to himself, even reminiscing about Emperor Zhenzong, whom he hadn't thought of in a long time. Zhenzong was fond of Taoist arts, and had once made a grand display of them, causing chaos in both the court and among the common people. Renzong, therefore, disliked him greatly. But at this moment, he felt a pang of nostalgia; his father surely knew more details, and if only he could discern Su'er's origins…
However, these thoughts only flashed through his mind a few times before dissipating in an instant. No matter how miraculous Su'er might be, he was still his son, wasn't he?
"Then I shall say that someone told me there were auspicious omens in this place?"
Fusu immediately tensed up: "Is this alright?"
He had no idea what his father was up to. What if it was something a far cry from auspicious omens? What would become of Emperor Renzong's reputation?
"Does Su'er have any other good reason?"
Fusu pursed his lips and shook his head. This was what troubled him. Apart from auspicious omens, there was really no other reason to gather all the officials together and leave the palace openly.
"It's alright. Even if it's all for naught, I'll only get a few more words of reproach." Compared to his father, his symptoms were much milder. He believed the officials all understood the implications. Emperor Renzong comforted Fusu, saying, "It's not worth missing out on the opportunity in your dream because of your reputation."
Fusu couldn't say anything else, he could only think to himself: Father, you must give it your all!
Two nights before the departure day, Fusu tried to see Qin Shi Huang again in his dreams, but he didn't even have a dream; his sleep was unusually good. Fusu then realized that his father didn't want to see him and intended to keep the mystery going.
The feeling of unease lasted until the end of the day.
Emperor Renzong announced this decision in court the day before. Of course, he did not reveal Fusu's name. He only said that he had a dream and wanted to go to a place fifty miles east of Bianjing to search for auspicious omens. Some people in the court immediately tried to dissuade him, but Emperor Renzong firmly refused.
Alright, alright, let's just consider it as accompanying the emperor on a trip.
Perhaps if there's nothing at all, the officials will give up.
Sigh, you're all still young, you haven't experienced Emperor Zhenzong's time. If you had, you'd realize the Emperor wasn't so bad. At least he just left the city, he didn't say he was going to Mount Tai for the Fengshan ceremony, nor did he change the reign title for some "heavenly book."
...
Similar discussions were heard among the officials in their ranks. Some even asked him, "Zhao Xiaosanyuan, you are a close advisor to the Emperor. Have you heard any rumors? Who has slandered the Emperor? How could this happen so suddenly... The Emperor is not usually superstitious."
The person who spread the slander: "..."
He silently clenched his little fist.
Seeing his displeased expression and silence, the person who was speaking assumed it was because he was embarrassed by not knowing the truth. So they turned around and went to talk to someone else.
After two hours of bumpy travel, we arrived at the city, fifty li east of it.
Although Bianjing was a prosperous city, fifty miles away lay a vast plain, unrelated to the capital. The local magistrate and elders gathered to await the arrival of the emperor.
In fact, the very night the magistrate received the notification, he sent men to search the entire area in the dark, but they found no trace of any auspicious signs. The advisor then suggested burying a replica of a stone figure or stele to make up the difference.
Fortunately, the magistrate was a materialist and had never been interested in supernatural tales: "No need. If the officials are disappointed, it's good that they won't be fooled again."
This is also because the emperor has a reputation for benevolence and is unlikely to easily vent his anger on others. If a foolish or tyrannical ruler were on the throne, they wouldn't dare do such a thing. They would work day and night to create a respectable auspicious omen to satisfy their demands.
The long procession came to a stop, and the official at the head of the procession stepped out of his sedan chair. The county magistrate immediately stepped forward and heard him ask in a gentle voice, "Minister Lin, you govern the capital region. Have you heard of any unusual activity lately?"
"Your Majesty, I sent men to investigate overnight, but they found nothing."
The official encountered a lukewarm response, but he wasn't annoyed. He thought to himself: Su'er clearly stated "three days later," perhaps there's some strict time constraint?
He then said, "Take me and all the ministers to see it again."
Magistrate Lin had no choice but to leave. Only by seeing it for himself could the Emperor be satisfied. Fortunately, the area around the capital was mostly flat plains, so any unusual activity would be immediately apparent, avoiding the need for a large-scale mobilization.
His gaze swept across the surrounding scenery, then suddenly paused. An elderly villager behind him exclaimed in surprise.
The official's spirits lifted: "What's wrong?"
The magistrate's lips moved, but he dared not speak carelessly out of caution. The village elder, however, who knew the land intimately, had far fewer reservations. He pointed, his voice trembling, "That field, that field, it was clearly overgrown when I saw it yesterday!"
The official looked in the direction of the voice and saw that the place the village elder was pointing to was a lush and verdant landscape.
Is it possible for wasteland to turn into fertile fields overnight?
The official's heart skipped a beat, and he immediately made a decision: "Let's go and see!"
He took a step and walked away, followed by a large entourage of officials. The mud on the country path was soft and damp after the rain, and yellow mud splattered on the official's shoes, but he didn't care at all.
As the group walked up to the site, the village elders, seeing it with their own eyes, became even more certain: "This is indeed a wasteland, uncultivated for over a decade. The village head has a register with records of it."
Barren land transformed into fertile fields overnight. This auspicious omen is absolutely true!
The village elders immediately became excited. As for the fact that the fertile fields were planted with crops they had never seen before, no one mentioned it. It must also be part of Heaven's will, after all.
But the officials became suspicious instead.
Wasteland turned into fertile fields, and Su'er received a gift from heaven in her dream—was it really that simple?
He wanted to call Su'er over, but in the blink of an eye, Su'er appeared out of nowhere and squeezed next to the official. Looking at the lush greenery on the ridge, his breathing suddenly became rapid.
He had a premonition when rumors circulated around him that "barren land had been turned into fertile fields." Combined with his father's dream inquiring about the grain situation, an incredible yet reasonable guess emerged in his mind.
He lifted his foot and stepped into the deserted field.
"Why--"
Some people wanted to stop them, but seeing that the officials had tacitly approved, they had no choice but to give up.
Fusu took a few steps and squatted down. Fortunately, he had some kitchen experience in his previous life, otherwise he would have been carrying a treasure but unable to recognize it.
“These are potatoes,” he said.
He had longed for this day and night, but they were separated by oceans and could not meet. However, with the help of his father, he unexpectedly arrived in the Song Dynasty with potatoes that could yield a thousand catties per mu.
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