My Pen Pal Zhu Yuanzhang

Chapter 70 Worthy of enjoying the Ancestral Temple
The world is so big that it is beyond our imagination.

As soon as Zhu Yuanzhang saw the mention of silver in the letter, he immediately became very interested. He wondered how the silver mines there compared to those in Japan.

In short, set the goal here first and achieve it step by step.

"Finally, I think that since the Ming Dynasty is ready to start the industrial process, agriculture cannot be left behind. After all, agriculture is the cornerstone of industry and the foundation for a country's long-term stability.

This time, I brought you two good things, the yellow one is called potato, and the red one is called sweet potato. "

It turns out that those two unprepossessing things are used for planting.

Zhu Yuanzhang picked up a potato and looked at it, then picked up a sweet potato and looked at it.
The yellow ones that look like clods of earth are called potatoes, and the red ones are called sweet potatoes. The names are really appropriate.

Just these two things, can you eat them?

I wonder how it tastes compared to rice and wheat?
“Potatoes and sweet potatoes can be used as staple food, snacks, or even in dishes. There are many ways to cook them, such as boiled, steamed, stir-fried, deep-fried, or roasted.

As for the taste, hehe, I would like to make a recipe book about potatoes and sweet potatoes for you, Lao Zhu, but I’m afraid you’ll be greedy and eat them all without noticing.”

"Hahahahahaha" Zhu Yuanzhang couldn't help but burst into laughter, but this also made him more curious about potatoes and sweet potatoes.

“If you steam potatoes, they will have a pink texture. Peel them, cut them into strips or thin slices, and fry them until they are browned. Sprinkle them with salt and they will have a crispy texture.

As for sweet potatoes, whether steamed or roasted, they are sweet, soft, sweet, fragrant, delicious, and melt in your mouth, leaving a long aftertaste. "

As Zhu Yuanzhang read on, he couldn't help but salivate. It was the first time in his life that reading a letter made him hungry.

or……

Turn your attention to potatoes and sweet potatoes.

Try it later?
There are so many of them anyway. As the emperor of the Ming Dynasty, what's wrong with eating a few?
"Seeing this, Old Zhu must want to be the first person in the Ming Dynasty to taste it. But be careful, the sprouted part of the potato must be cut off, otherwise it will be poisonous."

Zhu Yuanzhang couldn't help but blush. This Old Li always guessed his thoughts clearly.

"In addition to being delicious, sweet potatoes and potatoes have many advantages. They can be grown in dry land instead of paddy fields. They also do not require the same care as rice or wheat. They are also easy to breed and preserve as they can be cut into pieces and buried in the soil.

More importantly, these two crops have a very short maturity period, and can be harvested in about three months. Moreover, potatoes can be grown for a maximum of two seasons a year, and sweet potatoes can be grown for a maximum of four seasons a year."

What is the maximum number of seasons that can be planted in a year?
If that's the case, doesn't that mean there will be food available all year round, and there won't be any such thing as a shortage of food?
It seems that these two are indeed good things and are a blessing to the people of the Ming Dynasty.

"Of course, if the above advantages are the only ones, the characteristics of potatoes and sweet potatoes cannot be reflected. The reason why I recommend them to you is that they have extremely high yields per mu."

Very high?

How high could that be? Zhu Yuanzhang wondered. He had been a farmer and knew about rice yields.

Generally speaking, in the Jianghuai, Huguang and Hunan areas, the yield per mu can reach about 300 kilograms, which can be considered a gift from God.

In the Taihu Lake area, where the yield is the highest, the highest yield is only about 400 kilograms, and that's only if the weather is good and there is no locust plague.

How good can these potatoes and sweet potatoes be? Zhu Yuanzhang boldly guessed that if they could produce about 800 kilograms, and three seasons a year, that would be about 1,800 kilograms.

If this had happened in the past, he would not even dare to think about it. Zhu Yuanzhang began to get excited.

If it is true, then there will be no such thing as famine, and our Zhu will truly be the greatest emperor of all time!

Old Li, we were worried about the famine and you sent so many things over. It really is a timely relief for us!

"If planted properly, the yield per mu of potato in a season can be around 4,000 kilograms, while the yield per mu of sweet potato is slightly higher, around 5,000 kilograms.

Of course, if technology improves, output will increase further.

I have also attached the planting techniques to the letter. "

How much? Zhu Yuanzhang rubbed his eyes. Was he seeing things?

That shouldn’t be the case. I put on my glasses myself.

Looking more closely, it was indeed four thousand kilograms and five thousand kilograms!

It was written in black and white, clearly and distinctly.

One acre of land only produces four or five thousand kilograms?

Still so-so?
Old Li, do you know the crime of deceiving the emperor?
After making a small joke about Li Han in his heart, Zhu Yuanzhang became serious.

He thought a lot. If potatoes and sweet potatoes could be fully promoted, wouldn’t it mean that Ming Dynasty would no longer have to worry about food problems?
From then on, people no longer had to starve to death in the Ming Dynasty. Which emperor in history could do that?
Wouldn’t the world of great harmony envisioned by the ancient sages be born in the hands of Zhu Yuanzhang?
By then, Zhu Yuanzhang would not only be the greatest emperor of all time, but also the greatest saint of all time!

At that time, we, Old Zhu, will not care about Old Li's indifference to fame and fortune or his lazy nature. We will have to give him the title of the most holy teacher and enshrine him in the Taimiao.

The more he thought about it, the happier he became. Zhu Yuanzhang decided to have a family dinner tonight and eat potatoes and sweet potatoes.

He put away the letters and drawings, called the guards outside the door, and moved all the sweet potatoes and potatoes out.

Except for keeping a few dozen kilograms of sweet potatoes and potatoes for himself, the rest were planted first as good varieties.

Although they had seen Zhu Yuanzhang often bring out some strange things from the Buddhist temple, this time, the guards were still shocked.

Bag after bag, where did all these things come from? Could it be that the Buddhist temple is actually a treasure pot?

……

Yang Siyi was at home worrying about food, his hair falling out from worrying so much, when suddenly he received an oral order from the emperor, summoning him to the palace to meet him immediately.

Does Your Majesty want to punish yourself because of food?
Although Your Majesty is strict with your ministers, it has not reached this point yet.

Moreover, I have been working diligently since I entered the court as an official. Could it be that the Jinyiwei have caught some evidence against me?
The moment Yang Siyi received the oral order, he went over everything he had done in his life in his mind.

Apart from collecting a few worthless paintings from his classmates and some local specialties from his students, it seems that he didn't do anything else.

She gritted her teeth and followed her father-in-law into the palace with a nervous mood.

When he arrived at the Forbidden City, Yang Siyi was surprised that the emperor did not meet him in the Imperial Study, but in the Imperial Garden.

There was also a pile of bags in the Imperial Garden that looked like a small mountain, and no one knew what they were.

His Majesty was standing in front of the pile of bags, looking at him with a smile.

Yang Siyi quickly saluted, but Zhu Yuanzhang smiled and said, "You don't have to be so polite, my dear Yang."

His Majesty seems to be in a good mood. Isn't this to punish himself?

"I wonder why Your Majesty has summoned me here?" Yang Siyi asked cautiously.

"Of course I'll give you something good."

Yang Siyi was a little surprised when he heard this. Could it be that His Majesty wanted to give him glasses?
Thinking about the pair of glasses Li Min was wearing, he felt very envious.

Zhu Yuanzhang pointed to the bag behind him and said, "Lord Yang, these are the things we want to give you."

Following Zhu Yuanzhang's instruction, Yang Siyi walked forward and took a look, and was immediately completely confused.

Are these rustic things the ones that Your Majesty wants to give to me?

Thanks to the book friends for their recommendations and monthly tickets. Please continue to read and collect. Please come back with more enthusiasm.

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(End of this chapter)