Chu Fan sighed slightly as he looked at Mu Yunfeng who had fallen asleep because he relaxed after receiving the disaster relief food.
I have already done this. I have kept the news about corn and sweet potatoes secret. The imperial power of Wei State has been greatly challenged. If the aristocratic families are willing to give out some food to lure the victims, they can easily raise a large army.
As long as they rebelled and overthrew me, all my corn and sweet potatoes would be their spoils. In this way, not only would they gain power, but I would also be able to complete the system mission and return to Blue Star to rest, and the victims would also be able to receive relief.
Why did those aristocratic families flee like that? Did they really think Wei was beyond redemption? Did they really think Wei would be divided up by other nations?
The next morning, the friendly relationship between Shu and Wei was demonstrated again. The grain lent by Shu to Wei arrived smoothly at Kaifeng, the imperial capital of Wei.
Emperor Chu Fan, who rarely appeared in the court, also came to the hall today. For the State of Wei, today was undoubtedly an extraordinary day.
Before Chu Fan arrived at the court, the Wei officials who remained there, sworn to live and die with Wei, breathed a sigh of relief upon learning that the grain from Shu had arrived in Kaifeng. While this grain might not be enough to completely alleviate the disaster, it would at least alleviate the current urgent situation.
The moment Chu Fan entered the court, he sensed a strange atmosphere. The ministers' faces were no longer filled with their usual sorrow, but instead revealed a rare sense of relief. He wondered if there was some good news.
Just as he was about to ask, an elderly minister spoke impatiently: "Your Majesty, the grain from Shu has arrived in Kaifeng!"
Chu Fan was deeply shocked by these words. With Wei on the brink of annihilation, Shu's offer of food aid was undoubtedly a timely help. Although Chu Fan was confident that he could weather the crisis thanks to his sweet potatoes and corn, this news was not widely known.
Before these crops matured, even the eunuchs and palace maids who worked diligently on them were unaware of their edible value. It was rare to see a country like Shu supporting Wei even when it was on the verge of collapse.
"This is truly great news!" Chu Fan exclaimed, "The monarch and ministers of Shu are truly a benevolent and righteous army."
"Yes, Your Majesty, Shu is truly a benevolent and righteous nation," another minister said. "Once the food from Shu arrives, we can immediately distribute it to those in dire need, alleviating their pressing needs."
At this time, Qin Hui also stood up and said to Chu Fan: "Your Majesty, I have already transported all the family's food, except for the food I need, to the imperial capital Kaifeng City, a total of one hundred stone."
Several ministers came forward one after another and said that they had returned to their family’s place and brought back some food.
Looking at Qin Hui and others who stood up at the beginning, Chu Fan thought that they had abandoned Wei State and ran away long ago. After all, in Chu Fan's memory, there was a person with a name very similar to his, but his character was not very good.
At this moment, a voice came from outside the door: "The third princess of Shu Kingdom wants to see you."
Then a heroic woman dressed in a smart and appropriate outfit appeared in the court.
"Greetings, Brother Chu Fan." Liu Xueyu bowed to Chu Fan.
Looking at the woman in front of him, Chu Fan didn't have many memories about this woman in his mind. There was only a picture of Liu Xueyu left in Chu Fan's mind. In the picture, a little girl smiled and said to him that she would marry him in the future.
However, Chu Fan was also very puzzled. Although Wei and Shu were neighboring countries, they were also very far apart. However, he seemed to have a very good relationship with Liu Xueyu when he was a child.
Chu Fan took the letter handed over by Liu Xueyu. The Shu Kingdom was willing to lend 100,000 dan of grain to the Wei Kingdom and it had been transported to the Wei Kingdom's capital Kaifeng City in batches, but the price was not mentioned.
Chu Fan knew that he had to accept the favor from the Kingdom of Shu.
Looking at the court hall which was one third smaller than the others, Chu Fan laughed out loud.
Seeing Chu Fan's crazy behavior, the ministers in the court fell into extreme confusion. They looked at each other, their hearts filled with doubts and uneasiness: Is the emperor really crazy?
The ministers' eyes flashed with fear and confusion. If the emperor went crazy, the Wei Kingdom would be hopeless. The ministers exchanged worried glances with each other, whispering to each other, trying to find answers from each other's faces.
The atmosphere in the entire court became extremely tense, as if an unpredictable storm could break out at any time.
Before they could even begin to wonder about what had just happened, Chu Fan spoke again. He looked around with a firm and serious expression, as if he was about to spill the beans.
Chu Fan said slowly, "Those who are able to stay here now are all loyal men of our Wei State, great and loyal ministers who are worthy of trust and can be entrusted with important tasks. There are some things I don't intend to hide from you anymore."
His voice echoed in the air with an unquestionable determination, as if to lift the veil of mystery and reveal the truth to the public.
As soon as Chu Fan finished speaking, eunuchs and palace maids immediately came in with cooked sweet potatoes and corn cobs, followed by plates full of fresh vegetables.
The high-ranking officials in the court looked at each other in confusion and curiosity. They had never seen these strange objects before them and were filled with confusion.
So their eyes all turned to Chu Fan, as if expecting him to solve the mystery. Chu Fan felt everyone's gazes and knew that everyone was waiting for his explanation, so he took another deep breath and prepared to explain in detail the origin and purpose of these mysterious items.
Chu Fan rose from the dragon throne and walked into the center of the hall. He accepted a sweet potato from a eunuch, peeled its thin skin, and took a bite. Witnessing Chu Fan's actions, all the ministers followed suit, trying the food. Once they had tasted it, they couldn't help but continue devouring it.
Chu Fan witnessed this scene and thought to himself: It's no wonder they are so enthusiastic. After all, they are used to delicacies from land and sea. It is understandable that they show such enthusiasm when trying this kind of food they have never tried before.
Chu Fan then picked up a golden corn cob and took a bite without hesitation, savoring the sweet kernels bursting in his mouth. He then picked up a pair of chopsticks and expertly scooped up a handful of mixed sweet potato leaves, savoring the crisp, refreshing flavor.
Seeing this, the ministers in the court followed suit and imitated Chu Fan's actions, picking up corn cobs and chopsticks, trying to taste these foods they had never seen before.
When they tasted these delicacies themselves, their eyes lit up with surprise and appreciation.
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