"Why?"
Chongzhen's words made Song Yingxing, who was still struggling, blurt out and subconsciously question Chongzhen.
"presumptuous!"
Wang Chengen shouted angrily, which frightened Song Yingxing to the point where he suddenly knelt down.
Chongzhen waved his hand, asked Song Yingxing to get up, and continued to ask: "Do you know why you failed the imperial examination four times?"
Song Yingxing fell silent, while Chen Jinglun, Chen Chenchuangui, Wang Chengen, and Li Ruolian all looked curious.
"I heard that you were obsessed with Shen Kuo's "Mengxi Bi Tan" when you were fifteen years old. You spent a lot of effort to get this book.
I think that the several times your reputation has declined are because you were distracted by external objects. In other words, when you were young, "Mengxi Bi Tan" had been deeply buried in your heart.
Your ambition may not be to collect classics and history, but to become a person like Shen Kuo, the author of "Mengxi Bi Tan", who has achieved achievements in many fields, right? "
Chongzhen's words made Song Yingxing fall into deep thought.
Li Ruolian was surprised. Looking at Song Yingxing's appearance, His Majesty must have been right.
But how did His Majesty know what happened decades ago? Could it be that His Majesty also controls another force? Thinking of this, Li Ruolian trembled all over and secretly thought that she must be more honest from now on.
Song Yingxing, who had her eyes closed, was thinking about Chongzhen's words, but her experience of working on "Mengxi Bi Tan" when she was fifteen years old resounded in her mind.
After studying the classics and history every day, he would take out "Mengxi Bi Tan" and read it. Over the past few decades, he had read dozens of copies of this book.
"Thank you, Your Majesty, for waking me up. The common people know!"
After a while, Song Yingxing, who woke up, immediately knelt down and saluted Chongzhen.
"Now that you have figured it out and have your own dreams, I will give you a chance to work as a farmer for the time being and be responsible for agricultural research first. Are you willing?"
Without waiting for Song Yingxing's response, Chongzhen said again: "In my opinion, there is no distinction between scholars, farmers, industry and merchants, and nothing can be done without anyone.
Just like some people say that farmers are mud-legged, but without mud-legged people, can they eat food?
It is said that businessmen are opportunistic people, full of the smell of copper, but which restaurants and teahouses they often go to are not opened by businessmen?
There were no craftsmen making pots and pans, so they all had to eat with their hands. "
"In Qin and Han Dynasties, there were great ministers of agriculture, ranking among the nine ministers. This shows the importance of agricultural officials!"
"Your Majesty, the common people are willing!"
Song Yingxing finally made his decision. Since he chose to pursue research and the emperor gave him the opportunity, he must cherish it.
"Okay, this is what I've been waiting for!"
Chongzhen was very happy, and then took out a round object from the box in the corner and handed it to Song Yingxing.
"Do you know what this is?"
Song Yingxing frowned, and Chen Jinglun on the side suddenly took a step forward, looked carefully, and then touched it with his hand.
"Your Majesty, this looks like a potato. I heard my father mentioned it before, but I have never seen it before!"
PS: When were potatoes introduced? Currently, it is mainly believed to be the Wanli period of the Ming Dynasty (1573 to 1619). During the Wanli period, Jiang Yikui wrote the second volume of "Chang'an Hakka" and "Huangdu Miscellaneous Notes", which records that the potatoes grown in Beijing were called Potato.
Secondly, Xu Guangqi recorded in the "Agricultural Policy Complete Book" written in 1628: Tuya, one name is potato, the other is Huangdu, with creeping leaves like beans, round roots like chicken eggs, white inside and yellow skin,...cooked , can also be steamed and eaten, boiled with taro juice, and used to wash greasy clothes, making them as white as jade.
Therefore, judging from these historical records, potatoes were introduced at least before Chongzhen.
"Yes, it's potatoes!"
This thing was a dish in a dinner. Chongzhen was shocked at the time. After asking someone, he found out that this thing was paid tribute to the emperor by foreign missionaries.
Then the royal vegetable farmers cultivated some more specially for the emperor to eat, to highlight its uniqueness and rarity.
It is estimated that only a few nobles and ministers have eaten it, but it may have been steamed, and the good things were all in vain.
"According to the vegetable farmers of the royal family, if the fertility of potatoes can be improved, the yield is estimated to be eight to fifteen shi per mu."
Looking at the shocked people, Chongzhen smiled and said: "This is just an estimate by vegetable farmers. After all, we have not planted it on a large scale. You need to explore it.
Your task is to be responsible for the research and promotion of potatoes. After tomorrow, you will go to the royal vegetable farmers to learn. "
"The common people obey the decree!"
After seeing Song Yingxing agree, Chongzhen looked at Chen Jinglun and his son, and now they had figured out the purpose of their trip.
"What do you two think of sweet potatoes?"
"If it can be promoted on a large scale, it can become the third staple food after rice and wheat!"
Chen Jinglun responded immediately and continued: "In the summer of the 21st year of Wanli, my father risked his life to bring back sweet potatoes from Luzon. It happened that there was a severe drought in central Fujian and the grain harvest failed.
My father asked the farmers to write to the governor of Fujian, Jin Xuezeng, and he received his support. After the successful trial planting, it was promoted in Fujian. According to statistics, 78 out of 10 villagers survived on potatoes during the severe drought. "
Chen Jinglun was full of pride when he said this.
Chongzhen was aware of this period of history and immediately asked: "How is the yield per acre of sweet potatoes you plant in Changle Prefecture?"
"Sweet potatoes don't care about soil quality or terrain. The lower ground is three to five stones, the middle ground is six to ten stones, and the upper ground is ten to fifteen stones.
When my father was there, it once reached twenty stones. Unfortunately, after many plantings, there is no such record. "
Song Yingxing on the side was full of shock. Now the grain output is only two to four stones. The potato yield per mu in his hand is amazing, but it is just a guess.
But these sweet potatoes cost three stones at the lowest and twenty stones at the highest. It is simply unimaginable.
Only now did Wang Chengen and Li Ruolian understand why Chongzhen asked them to invite Song Yingxing and Chen Zhenlong, saying that these two people were related to the fate of the Ming Dynasty.
Thinking of this, a cold sweat broke out from Li Ruolian's back. Fortunately, the people below didn't lose their chains.
"Chen Jinglun, if I remember correctly, you taught Jin Xuezeng a book called "The Rules of Teaching Seed Potatoes" written by yourself, and he wrote a monograph on potatoes "New Overseas Biography" based on your book. ,Right!"
"Your Majesty, Holy Might!"
"If I asked you to promote sweet potatoes full-time in Ming Dynasty, would you be willing?"
"I am willing!"
Chen Jinglun immediately knelt down, and his son Chen Chuangui also knelt down.
Both of their faces were full of excitement, and there were tears in their eyes. This scene made Chongzhen a little stunned.
After a while, Chen Jinglun's mood eased: "Your Majesty, before my father passed away, he never forgot about the promotion of sweet potatoes and told the people to study sweet potatoes vigorously in the future to increase production.
The grass people have not been idle in the past few years. They have been studying the cultivation of sweet potatoes and wrote the "Rule of Teaching Seed Potatoes". Quanzi is also proficient in the cultivation of sweet potatoes.
If it can be fully promoted in the Ming Dynasty, the common people can fulfill their father's wish before his death. Even if the common people die now, they can go to Jiuquan to explain to their father. "
Hearing these words, Chongzhen was also moved.
Although the Ming Dynasty is in a worrying situation, there are still many people who are silently contributing to the Ming Dynasty in invisible places.
"You are determined. With your father's long-cherished wish, your research, and the opportunity I have given you, I believe that sweet potatoes will be grown in the Ming Dynasty."
"The grassroots believe it!"
"good!"
Chongzhen looked at Li Ruolian: "Li Ruolian, arrange for the three of them to rest, and let them wait outside the Huangji Palace for the announcement tomorrow morning!"
After a night of silence, Chongzhen arrived at the Huangji Hall the next day and all the ministers saluted.
"Dear sirs, all the people I mentioned today will be submitted to the cabinet for processing. I have important matters to deal with today!"
Looking at the stunned crowd, Chongzhen glanced at Wang Chengen. Wang Chengen walked to the edge of the platform and shouted at the top of his lungs.
"Your Majesty has a decree to send Song Yingxing, Chen Jinglun, and Chen Chuangui to visit you!"
