The plot of land that was fertilized had roughly the same number of potatoes, but they were significantly larger. After weighing them, the yield per mu was a staggering 3,000 jin!
The potatoes that were fertilized yielded a full 4,000 jin per mu!
Not to mention Kangxi and Yinzhen were excited, even the well-informed Qian Shengyan was taken aback. She stood there dumbfounded, while the people who came to dig potatoes together had already gone crazy!
The Minister of Revenue, whom Kangxi brought with him, was so excited that his beard trembled. He clutched a potato in one hand and tears streamed down his face: "Your Majesty, Your Majesty... Heaven bless the Qing Dynasty! Heaven bless the Qing Dynasty!"
"Your Majesty, the yield of rice planted by Prince Yong has also come out!" another adult holding an abacus and paper and pen shouted happily, "The yield is a full 520 catties per mu!"
Over 500 jin!
Kangxi was excited again. He took Yinzhen's hand and led him through the rice paddies, praising his son, "Fourth son, I never imagined you had such a talent for farming, I really never expected..."
It should be noted that at this time, the yield of rice per mu was only about 400 jin! Emperor Kangxi ordered people to plant and select varieties for many years, and the two-season rice that began to be promoted this year, including the rice planted by Yinzhen, had a yield of less than 300 jin per mu for the early rice and a slightly higher yield of more than 400 jin per mu for the late rice. However, the early rice planted by Yinzhen can now yield more than 500 jin per mu!
“It’s fertilizer,” Yinzhen sighed. He could clearly see that the rice paddies that had been fertilized were growing much better.
What followed was even more chaotic. Because there were foreign officials present, Qian Shengyan watched for a while and then told Yinzhen that she was going back first. Yinzhen was talking to someone about the details of planting and fertilizing. When he heard this, he just shook her hand and didn't say anything.
Upon returning to Pianyun Shujuan Palace, Qian Shengyan had just changed her clothes when she heard that Madam Guo had arrived.
"Why did you come over on such a hot day, little sister?" Qian Shengyan asked, holding a bowl of iced water and making sure to order a drink for Guo Shi.
The weather in the seventh month of the lunar calendar is the hottest period of summer. Qian Shengyan was already unbearably hot after standing in the field for only a short while. She really admired Emperor Kangxi and his ministers, who not only didn't feel the heat, but almost jumped up.
This only proves that these people are truly the pillars of the nation. Someone like her is no good; she should just come back and enjoy eating iced food in light clothing.
Guo didn't hesitate and took the bowl of ice. While eating, she said, "Sister Qian, I have a feeling that Consort Nian is planning something big."
"She's about to return to Beijing, what else can she do?" Qian Shengyan frowned, somewhat puzzled.
Guo put a mouthful of ice in her mouth, sighing with pleasure, and mumbled, "Who knows? Anyway, I've seen Granny Wei and two maids going in and out of her place. Once they said they were going to find some servant to deliver a message, but I didn't hear clearly."
Qian Shengyan thought and thought, but still couldn't figure out what Nian Shi was trying to do. Even if she was healthy enough to have a child, she couldn't do it without the prince's cooperation.
Could they possibly kidnap the prince and take him to his bridal chamber?
That has nothing to do with Qian Shengyan. It's not like she tied Yinzhen's hands and feet and forbade him from going. Moreover, based on her observations over this period, it's hard to say whether Nian Shi is smart or stupid, but her nanny Wei is truly shrewd.
Guo didn't know the specifics either; she just came to give Qian Shengyan a heads-up. After enjoying a free bowl of iced desserts, Guo left behind the little clothes that Fuerguo Chunxiu had made and then left. Qian Shengyan asked Qingxue and learned that Kangxi and the others were still in the fields, so she asked the kitchen to send some of the prepared mung bean shaved ice over there.
As for the ones for Kangxi and Yinzhen, they were made by the small kitchen in Pianyun Shujuan Palace.
Qian Shengyan led a group of people carrying food to the fields. A group of ministers, whether from excitement or heat, had faces flushed red. Qian Shengyan ordered people to distribute mung bean shaved ice and personally delivered the mung bean soup she had watched others make to Yinzhen.
Yinzhen immediately noticed the difference, nodded to her, and then presented his hands to Kangxi, saying, "Father, please have some to quench your thirst."
Kangxi accepted the cup with a smile, and before the head eunuch could serve him the meal, he drank it all in one gulp, startling the eunuch who cried out, "Your Majesty!"
"It's alright, this is at the fourth prince's house, not outside," Kangxi said with a smile, but the meaning was clear: if he used this thing and something happened, the entire Yong Prince's Mansion would be responsible.
Without trembling, Yinzhen handed Kangxi another bowl of mung bean soup, smiling as he said, "Yes."
Emperor Kangxi drank half of his bowl of potatoes, then held it still. Looking at the mountain of potatoes, he sighed, "The potato yield is high, but it's a pity..."
"This stuff is indeed hard to eat, but at least it can fill your stomach and keep you alive," Yinzhen sighed.
Qian Shengyan, who was standing nearby listening, was a little puzzled and couldn't help but interject, "Isn't the taro tasty?"
Kangxi and Yinzhen both turned to look at her.
Qian Shengyan: ...
Okay, I understand. It's a potato feast, let's arrange it right away!
Yinzhen arranged for the emperor and his ministers to rest at Huyun Manor first, while Qian Shengyan led two loads of potatoes into the kitchen.
Under her guidance, soon, dishes such as stir-fried shredded potatoes with vinegar, braised pork with potatoes, stewed chicken with potatoes, braised potatoes, pan-fried potato pancakes, mashed potatoes with chicken broth (real chicken broth) and so on were made. Finally, a large pot of oil was set up to fry French fries, potato chips, potato wedges and potato cakes, and then a platter of fried foods was made by evenly sprinkling fine salt on them.
When all sorts of delicacies were served, the ministers could hardly believe that they were made from those dark, soil-covered taro.
Kangxi and Yinzhen each had their own table with dozens of plates in front of them, each plate containing a dish of potatoes. After taking a few bites, the two showed expressions of surprise. Hongli, who had been called to chat with Kangxi, was unsurprisingly attracted by the fried food.
"After shredding and washing the taro, stir-frying it will give you a crispy texture, while stewing it for a long time will make it soft and glutinous," Qian Shengyan explained. "Actually, there are many ways to eat taro. You can simply steam it and dip it in some salt, and the taste is quite good."
Emperor Kangxi slowly put down his chopsticks and nodded: "Good."
He slammed his hand on the table again and shouted with a loud laugh, "Good!"
The ministers also cheered "Good!" Yinzhen sat below Kangxi and smiled at Qian Shengyan.
The potato feast was highly praised, and the yield per mu of potatoes was even more gratifying. Before leaving, Emperor Kangxi asked Yinzhen to return to Beijing to plant potatoes again to see if it was possible to plant them twice a year. He also said that he should continue to plant them next year. If the yield per mu was so stable, then it could be promoted vigorously.
Yinzhen agreed to compile a manual on the cultivation and consumption of taro. The father and son then bid each other a reluctant farewell, and all the potatoes were taken away by Kangxi.
Qian Shengyan: ...
She didn't eat a single bite of all the potatoes she made; the cooked ones were gone, and the raw ones were gone too!
Ugh, I'm so angry!
Fortunately, the next day Yinzhen brought her good news again—the corn and sweet potatoes had been found.
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