Chapter 362: Blessings and Increased Production
"Also, this sweet potato is still a secret of Sheng An State. Before today, less than five people knew about it. But after today, if the news spreads to places where it shouldn't be spread, you'd better be careful of your heads."
Emperor Yongping glanced sharply at the civil and military officials in front of him. Lin Fu had the names of all the courtiers who came to Ji Tian today, including the grooms and attendants of some of the courtiers who came with him.
When these court officials leave their hometown today, a shadow will follow them until they discover the conspiracy lurking among them.
"I dare not."
All the court officials knelt down and spoke in unison.
"Please stand up, everyone."
Emperor Yongping raised his hand, and after all the court officials stood up, he deliberately glanced at Du Hongdao, and then gave Lin Fu another look.
"Resign."
Lin Fu received a hint and knew that this was Emperor Yongping's intention to keep Du Hongdao to talk alone.
After he called for the court to be dismissed, he continued, "Ministers, there is no need to wait for the emperor. Go back to the capital and get busy first."
After the court officials left one after another, Emperor Yongping whispered to Du Hongdao who stayed behind: "My dear Du, next autumn harvest, I want to see you produce 400 kilograms of sweet potatoes."
Du Hongdao: "......"
What? Four hundred kilograms? Where can I produce four hundred kilograms?
"Your Majesty, would you like to support me with some sweet potato seeds?"
After a moment of confusion, Du Hongdao showed joy on his face.
Could it be that this is the reason why the emperor kept him here?
"Humph, you've already put the sweet potato seeds in your sleeve pocket, so don't try to cheat me."
If four sweet potatoes are used for seeds, it may be difficult to harvest 400 kilograms, but he wants 40 kilograms, which should not be difficult.
"Your Majesty, this...Is it too late for me to return those four sweet potatoes to you now?"
Du Hongdao originally thought that after what he had just said, Emperor Yongping would no longer focus on his four sweet potatoes, but he didn't expect that he would still not be able to get over it.
"You wish for it, you get it if you want it, and you return it if you want it. How can such a good thing happen in the world?"
Emperor Yongping said unhappily.
“But I have never grown sweet potatoes before, how can I guarantee the yield?
Moreover, I only took four sweet potatoes, and you asked me to hand over 400 kilograms. If I can't do it, won't I be killed by these four sweet potatoes today?"
At this moment, Du Hongdao felt that the four sweet potatoes in his sleeve pocket were a little hot.
He might as well just eat it raw in front of the emperor.
"It's not that my life will be harmed, but I might be targeted. However, since it's already in your hands, it's too late to think about it now. Go back and plant it well. If you are careful, it won't be difficult to produce 400 kilograms."
One of the reasons why Emperor Yongping kept Du Hongdao was to remind him.
An old historian must not be targeted by others without knowing it. If Du Hongdao were to die, who would he ask for the "Five Mountains and Flying Fairies"?
"Your Majesty, I regret this. I will plant those four sweet potatoes back."
Du Hongdao looked at the hole he had dug with his own hands, squatted down, picked up the sweet potato vine, and pretended to bury it back.
"Come on, follow me back to the capital."
Emperor Yongping was a little amused and helpless when he saw that Du Hongdao was still so childish at the age of over sixty.
"Daddy, hold me."
When Chu Qinshu saw Emperor Yongping stand up, she reached out and asked Chu Chengyi to hug her.
Emperor Yongping must be tired after holding her for so long. Chu Chengyi was sitting in a wheelchair anyway, so he didn't have to exert any effort to hold her.
"Little Princess, please save me. I can't grow such a high yield of sweet potatoes. Can you tell the Emperor to take back his decision?"
Du Hongdao had never expected that Emperor Yongping would set him up, and when Chu Qinshu spoke, he naturally asked her for help.
Everyone in the capital knows that the little princess is the emperor's favorite, and the emperor will definitely listen to what the little princess says.
"Don't worry, 400 kilograms is not much."
Chu Qinshu looked at Du Hongdao seriously and nodded solemnly as she spoke.
[With four sweet potato seeds, as long as there are many buds, and you put some effort into raising the seedlings so that 100% of the buds emerge, you can plant them in the ground and then plant them in the ground. Although the requirement of 400 kilograms is high, it is not excessive.]
"What? Little Princess, are you telling the truth?"
Du Hongdao did not dare to question Chu Qinshu, after all, she was the legendary lucky star.
However, if he doesn't confirm it, he will be really uneasy.
"Yeah, lucky stars never lie."
Chu Qinshu nodded at him seriously again.
"Then... I, as an old minister, can only do my best."
Du Hongdao was helpless. Who made him so mean?
I thought I got a great deal, but it turned out to be a huge scam.
This is the first time in my sixty-plus years of life that I have dug a hole in myself.
Chu Qinshu: It’s not the first time, at least I know this is the second time.
"Well, your lucky star will grant you your wish."
Chu Qinshu stretched out her little hand solemnly, signaling Du Hongdao to lift up the sleeve bag containing the sweet potatoes, as she wanted to give him a blessing.
'Master, are you playing tricks on me?'
Little Gourd looked at this scene, somewhat confused.
Isn't it normal for four sweet potato seeds grown in space to produce 400 kilograms? Why do we need to do this?
"It's not a trick, it's a blessing. He didn't even know that the emperor cheated him of the ancient paintings passed down in his family. It's not easy."
Chu Qinshu was not sure whether the space sweet potatoes grown for one season would still have the same high yield as the first generation.
So I wanted to try out the power of blessing to see if she is really a lucky star.
"Hey, I, the old minister, thank you, little princess."
Du Hong understood Chu Qinshu's intention and quickly lifted up his sleeve pocket. Seeing her small hand stroking it back and forth, he didn't know what her intention was.
But seeing that Emperor Yongping and Chu Chengyi were silent, he did not dare to ask.
He waited for Chu Qinshu to stop before he respectfully put his money back into his sleeve pocket.
"Hide it well and plant it carefully."
Chu Qinshu withdrew her hand but did not forget to say something.
"Yes, I will obey the wishes of the young princess."
Du Hongdao was so frightened that he just did whatever he was told and didn't dare to ask any more questions.
"Okay, let's get going back to Beijing."
Emperor Yongping never thought that his granddaughter would "bless" him with a few sweet potatoes.
This gave him another idea. It would be great if the blessing from the lucky star could make people’s minds clear and stop thinking about things that they shouldn’t think about.
Then he would definitely let his granddaughter touch the heads of all the grandsons in Prince Ning's Mansion to prevent anyone from having ulterior motives.
Until he returned to Beijing, Du Hongdao still hadn't figured out the purpose of Chu Qinshu's actions.
But he did write down what she said.
As soon as he returned home, he personally put the sweet potato seeds into a small secret room in the study.
Alas, this is 400 kilograms of sweet potatoes for next year, we can’t be careless.
The next few days will be spent busy with the autumn harvest.
In addition to sweet potatoes, Sheng'an Kingdom also has many other crops that are harvested in October.
During the autumn harvest season, all academies had a holiday due to busy farming season, and the same was true for the South Study in the palace.
Chu Chengyi took Chu Yanjing and his two siblings to inspect the estates under his name one by one. Except for paying special attention to the estate where sweet potatoes were planted, he did not visit any other estates.
When Chu Qinshu touched the sweet potatoes dug by Du Hongdao that day, he knew it was a blessing.
Since blessing can increase production, his farm should of course be taken care of by his daughter first.
So, during this period of time, when he had nothing to do, he hinted to Chu Qinshu to touch the food that had just been collected.
She was allowed to touch the newly harvested soybeans and the newly harvested millet grains, as long as they would not hurt her skin.
"Daddy, no touching."
Chu Qinshu looked at the rice in front of her with some repulsion.
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