He said to the eunuch, "Bring a few of these to the imperial chefs to prepare two dishes. Also, quickly summon the Minister of Agriculture."
Yun Yi then explained two or three simple methods, and the clever little eunuch grabbed the potatoes and ran to the imperial kitchen.
"I wonder how difficult it is to grow potatoes?" Xie Liang asked Yun Yi.
Yun Yi immediately took out a booklet wrapped tightly in oiled paper from his bosom and handed it to the eunuch supervisor.
"The method of potato cultivation has already been recorded by the Marquis. Please review it, Your Majesty."
The eunuch inspected the register and found nothing amiss, then presented it to Emperor Yongping.
Emperor Yongping opened the booklet and began to read it carefully.
Just as he finished reading, the Minister of Agriculture entered the main hall with the eunuch who was serving the dishes.
Emperor Yongping then had him and Xie Liang first taste the potatoes prepared by the imperial chef.
The Minister of Agriculture was not an incompetent person to have reached his current position. He was greatly surprised when he tasted the potato. The dish was soft, tender, and delicate, with a mild flavor, which he had never tasted before.
He remained expressionless until Emperor Yongping had finished tasting the dishes on his table before asking a question.
"This plant is called potato, and it is said that it can yield about 2,000 catties per mu."
The Minister of Agriculture's first reaction was disbelief. "Absurd! Even the most fertile land yields only about three or four hundred catties of wheat. Although this stuff tastes good, how can it compare to wheat?"
Emperor Yongping then handed him the booklet.
"After repeated experiments, the Marquis of Nanxing in the South has ordered people to record this planting method. Take a look."
Upon seeing this, the Minister of Agriculture fell silent.
If potatoes are indeed produced at such a high yield, the Great Yan Kingdom will be able to resolve its food crisis within three years.
With food supplies as a guarantee, the Great Yan Kingdom's recapture of the Central Plains was just around the corner, and Emperor Yongping became more and more excited as he thought about it.
Xie Liang and the Minister of Agriculture exchanged a glance, while Yun Yi, standing beside them, lowered his head and pretended not to notice.
"Your Majesty, how many seeds are there in these potatoes?" the Minister of Agriculture had no choice but to ask, bracing himself for the worst.
The eunuch bowed and said, "Your Majesty, the Marquis of Nanxing brought a total of over ten thousand catties."
"This, this isn't enough either?" the Minister of Agriculture said, sounding troubled.
Even if the Great Yan Kingdom loses its central plains, in terms of its existing territory, these tens of thousands of catties of seeds are nothing more than a drop in the ocean.
Emperor Yongping looked down at Yun Yi and asked, "How many seeds did Marquis Nanxing obtain from the Japanese?"
Yun Yi: "Your Majesty, it's no more than a hundred catties."
Emperor Yongping pondered for a moment, then his face hardened, and he said, "Minister of Agriculture, have you heard this? These tens of thousands of catties were accumulated by Marquis Nanxing through repeated planting. The planting method is also available. If you cannot grow them, I will take your head!"
The Minister of Agriculture was so frightened that he broke out in a cold sweat and hurriedly knelt down, shouting, "Your humble servant obeys the decree!"
Having taken on this important task, even with the planting manual provided by the Marquis of Nanxing, the Minister of Agriculture dared not neglect it. He requested permission from Emperor Yongping to personally lead a group to the south to learn how to cultivate potatoes.
Emperor Yongping readily agreed.
In gratitude for Lin Yinan's sincerity, Emperor Yongping was generous, bestowing upon her not only gold and silver jewelry but also many tonics to strengthen her body.
Before leaving, he also asked the eunuch to have Yun Yi take the medicine to Yun Mo, the meaning of which was self-evident.
Dragon Pool.
After the New Year, the streets are colorful and filled with all kinds of goods, creating a strong festive atmosphere.
Lin Yinan was hosting a banquet for the Ye family father and son, Chen Xianming father and son, the Zhong family, the Deng family of Cangwu County, and Lu Changsheng, who had come to help with the military expedition.
After returning to Longtan and handing over his work, Yun quietly called Yun Mo aside.
"Was the trip successful?" Yun Mo thought he had some discovery to share, so he asked first.
Yun Yi's eyes flickered, and she looked at him with a somewhat complicated expression, stuffing the two small porcelain bottles into his arms as if they were hot potatoes.
"This is a royal medicine prepared by the imperial physician for the Emperor. The Emperor specially bestowed it upon you. The eunuch said it is extremely effective."
Yun Mo was puzzled, picked up the bottle and examined it closely, "What kind of medicine is this?"
"It's that kind of medicine, Master, you, you should try it." Yun Yi found it difficult to say, his ears turning red with embarrassment. After struggling to finish speaking, he turned and ran away.
Upon hearing this, Yun Mo had no idea what to do, but by the time he realized what was happening, Yun Yi had already disappeared.
Late at night, Lin Yinan returned to her room reeking of alcohol and saw Yun Mo looking gloomy. She assumed that Yun Yi had brought back some bad news.
"What's wrong?"
Yun Mo opened his palm, "The Emperor bestowed medicine upon me."
Lin Yinan asked in surprise, "Haven't your injuries healed by now?"
Yun Mo opened his mouth, his face as gloomy as the bottom of a pot, unsure of what to say.
"Yes, it's that kind of medicine."
"Huh?" Lin Yinan didn't understand.
Yun Mo gritted his teeth and said, "Now the entire court is spreading rumors that the husband of the Marquis of Nanxing is impotent, and that scoundrel Xie Liang actually wants to send you a handsome man!!"
Lin Yinan chuckled to himself; it turned out he was angry about this.
What men care about most is when others question their abilities, as this greatly damages their male dignity.
She stepped forward, embraced him, and coaxed him softly in a doting tone, "It's not worth getting angry over such unfounded rumors."
Yun Mo pulled her onto his lap and sat her down, resting his head on her shoulder.
"They're all laughing at me!"
All Lin Yinan could do at that moment was stroke his hair and kiss him on the cheek.
"It's our own business, we don't need to care about what others think."
Her breath lingered in his ear, and a warm current seemed to flow through Yun Mo's heart. He then got up and carried her to the bed.
"Then I will personally serve you, my lord, tonight!" he said in a hoarse voice.
In a dizzying moment, Lin Yinan was pinned beneath him. When she looked up, she met Yun Mo's eyes, which were filled with a storm of emotions. The sound of his violent heartbeat echoed in her ears.
He reached out and untied her hair, revealing her jet-black hair that was as smooth as silk, captivating all who looked at her.
"Anan, you are so beautiful!"
As the years turn, the cold winter passes quickly, and new buds emerge from the branches in early spring.
With the potato seeds provided by Lin Yinan, the food crisis of the people in the Great Yan Kingdom was basically resolved after three years of continuous planting.
Having solved the problem of food and clothing, Emperor Yongping deployed more troops and began a counterattack against the Hu people.
As one side gained at the expense of the other, internal strife among the various tribes left them powerless against the counterattacks of the Great Yan Kingdom.
In nearly a decade of continuous warfare, they recovered almost half of the Central Plains.
After years of war, Emperor Yongping decided to cease hostilities and allow the people to recuperate.
The Great Yan Kingdom ushered in a brief period of peace and prosperity!
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