The monarch and his ministers were humble to each other. Li Ji stood beside him, stroking his beard and smiling. The other courtiers' eyes were red with envy.
After witnessing the sweet potato harvest with their own eyes, they finally realized what an extraordinary achievement this would be.
The yield is several times higher than that of other grains. It does not occupy fertile land and is not afraid of droughts and floods. If you sow in spring, you can harvest abundant fruits in a few months.
In the future, this product will be popularized all over the world. If there is another disaster year, if there is a sweet potato, many people in the world will starve to death. It is really not an exaggeration to say that "every family will have a Buddha".
This is not only a political achievement, but also can be regarded as a god and a monument in the public reputation.
It was only then that the courtiers finally believed that the Tang Dynasty really had a new grain with an astonishing yield per acre. At a short term, this kind of food could consolidate the imperial rule and win the hearts of the world. At a long term, it could even It can determine the rise and fall of dynasties and improve the country's destiny.
If there is no more starvation or famine in the world from now on, the country and the country will naturally be as solid as gold and no one can shake them.
Why did he discover such a magical thing in the first place?
The ministers looked at Li Qinzai with envy and envy. The surroundings were filled with a sour smell, like someone's vinegar boiling.
The sweet potatoes were all dug out and had to be weighed.
Only data is the most real and least likely to lie.
Several officials stepped forward and weighed the sweet potatoes one by one, recording them and calculating the total weight later.
"Your Majesty, the total yield of sweet potatoes is eighty-one kilograms," an official reported.
The ministers exclaimed again.
Li Zhi said excitedly: "Let's calculate again, how much is the yield per mu?"
The official was so busy that he said: "If we use high-quality fertile land and have enough grain, based on the current row spacing and row spacing, one acre of land will produce at least six thousand kilograms."
Li Zhi and the ministers were stunned. The crowd was silent, and no one spoke for a long time.
Li Qinzai was very unconvinced. This figure was within his expectation. Without a certain degree of certainty, he would not have boasted about this bullshit. Now, the bullshit has been realized.
Seeing that everyone was silent, Li Qinzai squatted on the ground and looked at the newly unearthed sweet potatoes, and then secretly picked one while no one was paying attention. He wiped the soil clean with a handkerchief, then took out a dagger and peeled off the skin. The fruit under the skin was white inside. Revealing a little pale yellow.
Seeing that Li Zhi and the ministers were still in a daze, Li Qinzai opened his mouth and took a bite, Kacha!
Well, raw sweet potatoes are a little chewy in the mouth, and the texture is not very good, but the taste is slightly sweet, and there must be a lot of sugar and starch in it.
After chewing for a few times, Li Qinzai was enjoying the meal. Li Zhi came back to his senses at this time and saw that Li Qinzai actually ate it without him noticing. Li Zhi couldn't help being shocked and stepped forward to grab him. wrist.
"Stop, shut up! You, you... you are such a precious thing. You are going to save it for next year, and you actually eat it! Bastard!"
Li Qinzai had just started to taste a bit when he was grabbed by Li Zhi's wrist, so he said innocently: "Your Majesty, the harvest is more than 80 kilograms. Isn't this enough?"
"There are so many fertile fields in the Tang Dynasty, and so many seeds are needed. Not a single bit can be wasted. How can you..." Li Zhi saw that his mouth was watery after eating, and he couldn't help but said: "Is it delicious?"
The conversation changed so quickly that Li Qinzai didn't even react: "What?"
"I ask you, how does this taste? Is it delicious?"
Li Qinzai immediately stretched out his hand into the pile of sweet potatoes, intending to peel one for Li Zhi to try, but Li Zhi quickly stopped him with his quick eyesight and hands.
"Don't waste it, I'll just eat what you have in your hand..." Li Zhi couldn't help but grab it and wiped it on his clothes. He didn't mind being eaten by Li Qinzai, so he opened his mouth and bit it.
After taking a bite, Li Zhi's eyes lit up: "Okay, it's delicious! It's sweet and crispy, and it's unforgettable. This product is not only high-yielding, but also tastes good, good!"
The ministers watched eagerly, and many of them swallowed secretly, wanting to taste it. However, seeing that Li Zhi valued it so highly, and obviously would not entertain him, they had no choice but to keep their mouths shut.
Li Zhi was full of praise while eating, nodding frequently: "It's delicious. I'm afraid the fairy fruit in the sky is nothing more than this. After taking a few bites, I feel that my health and longevity have increased a lot..."
Li Qinzai said cautiously: "Your Majesty, it's not that bad. It's not that exaggerated. It's just something to fill your stomach."
Li Zhi stared: "Why not, from now on it will be my property of Datang. The property of Datang can be comparable to that of Tiangong, without any flaws. Am I wrong to say that?"
Well, from now on, regardless of folklore or official history books, the origin of sweet potatoes is the Tang Dynasty. If you are not convinced, you can argue with my millions of soldiers.
Li Qinzai thinks it doesn't matter. He is a pragmatist. As long as the food is useful and edible, it doesn't matter where it is produced, it will end up in his stomach anyway.
"Your Majesty, it tastes better when roasted. It's sweeter, softer, and waxier than when eaten raw..." Li Qinzai said quietly.
Li Zhi's eyes flashed with emotion, and then his reason immediately defeated his appetite and he shook his head decisively.
"No, we can't harm it anymore. We need to save the seeds. Send a batch of sweet potato seeds to the south immediately. While the climate in the south is still good, we will try to plant another season this year to see if we can get a harvest. By the way, compare the north and south acres. differences in production.”
Li Zhi looked at Li Qinzai again and sighed: "Jingchu has done this great service for me again. To be honest, I don't even know how to reward you..."
Li Qinzai said hurriedly: "I was just doing my duty. The discovery of this thing was purely accidental. After it was planted, His Majesty arranged for manpower to protect it. I didn't put in half the effort and dare not be greedy for God's credit."
Li Zhi smiled: "If I can't make rewards and punishments clear, how can I stop the world from talking about Youyou? Do you think whether I award rewards is your business alone? It's also related to my reputation..."
As he spoke, Li Zhidan glanced around at the ministers and said slowly: "Just now, an official from the department said that sweet potatoes can produce six thousand kilograms per mu. Such a high-yielding new grain is of great significance to the Tang Dynasty. Sirs, you don't have to Should I say more?"
Come and try it quickly. 】
"This thing was discovered by Li Qinzai. This contribution is so great that I am a little jealous, haha... With Jingchu's contribution, I feel that he can be promoted to the rank of Duke."
As soon as these words came out, there was silence all around. No one among the ministers spoke, and even their expressions were lost.
Li Ji stood in the crowd, frowned secretly, and stood up and said: "Your Majesty, no, Li Qinzai is frivolous. It is inappropriate for him to be promoted to a county prince at the age of more than 20 years old. Please think again, your Majesty."
Li Qinzai also hurriedly said: "Your Majesty, how can I be promoted to a noble title rashly despite my virtues and abilities? This proposal is inappropriate. Your Majesty, please think again."
Before anyone else could speak, it was the grandfather and grandson who jumped out to object. Li Zhi couldn't help being a little surprised and frowned dissatisfied: "I think it is not an exaggeration to be promoted to a noble rank."
"Your Majesty, I really can't accept it. Your Majesty, please think again."
