Chapter 138

According to some records in the Treatises on Food and Goods.

During the Hongwu reign, beef in Jiaxing Prefecture cost fourteen wen per jin, while pork fetched as high as nineteen wen per jin.

This clearly shows how much advantage Great Ming had gained on the grasslands at that time.

At this moment, he also noticed Jiang Huan in the distance.

"Director Jiang, care to join us for a bite? Freshly cut beef."

Jiang Huan looked at Su Qiao, bowed slightly, and said,

"No, my lord Su. We have an imperial order and must attend to our duties."

Su Qiao did not press Jiang Huan further.

It was merely a polite gesture.

The two parted at the street corner.

Su Qiao returned home in high spirits.

Just as Su Qiao was preparing to light the stove and heat the oil, he gazed at the potatoes and corn in the corner and fell into deep thought.

After a long while, Su Qiao let out a long sigh.

If these truly were the only few potato plants, would he not become a villain of history?

Thinking thus, Su Qiao surveyed the Sihe Academy behind him, his gaze finally settling on the patch of land within the academy that received the best sunlight each day.

"Very well, it shall be here."

"By the time spring arrives next year, I should already be long gone."

With that thought, Su Qiao casually dug a small hole and buried a potato and a few grains of corn.

Having settled all that, Su Qiao, with practiced ease, cooked a large pot of braised beef with potatoes, then roasted two sweet potatoes and some corn.

Only after a hearty meal did Su Qiao remember.

If he ate all this at home without Old Zhu knowing, would he not have eaten in vain?

Thinking thus,

Su Qiao's gaze immediately turned to the leftover rice in the pot beside him.

After pondering for a long time,

he immediately packed the remaining scraps into a food box and hurriedly made his way to Donggong.

Meanwhile, Zhu Yunwen in Donggong was still anxiously thinking about Zhu Yuanzhang's demeanor today.

"Mr. Huang, do you think Grandpa the Emperor will truly divide the land?"

"If the land is truly divided, our Zhu family will become villains of history."

Huang Zicheng looked at Zhu Yunwen and let out a long sigh.

"Your Highness, I believe Your Majesty would never do such a thing... Alas."

Huang Zicheng stopped halfway through his sentence, forcing the words "obscure and incompetent" back down his throat.

Just as Zhu Yunwen was in a state of anxiety,

Su Qiao quietly entered the Ciqing Hall carrying a food box.

The moment Huang Zicheng saw Su Qiao, his anger flared instantly; pointing at Su Qiao's nose, he shouted,

"Su Qiao! How dare you still show your face here?"

"Do you not know that the common people of the realm are nearly killed by your actions?"

Before Su Qiao could speak, Zhu Yunwen stepped in front of him to protect him.

"Mr. Su, Mr. Huang did not mean it that way; please do not take it to heart."

Su Qiao sighed helplessly and stood where he was, smiling,

"Your Highness the Crown Prince, do not worry about that."

"This is something new I have prepared."

Zhu Yunwen sighed helplessly and said,

"Mr. Su, it is not that I am ungrateful, but if the realm is torn apart, both of us will be villains of history; where would I find the appetite to eat now!"

Su Qiao looked at Zhu Yunwen helplessly and smiled,

"Your Highness the Crown Prince, what are you thinking?"

"This is for you to present to Your Majesty to enjoy; in any case, it will demonstrate your filial piety."

Hearing Su Qiao's words,

both Zhu Yunwen and Huang Zicheng were momentarily stunned.

Has the sun risen from the west?

Why has Su Qiao started offering strategies to the Crown Prince?

Curious, Zhu Yunwen stepped forward and opened the lid of the food box.

Instantly, a fragrant aroma spread throughout Donggong.

Zhu Yunwen looked at Su Qiao with a shocked expression and asked in disbelief,

"Mr. Su, this is...?"

"Oh, braised beef with potatoes; I also roasted a few sweet potatoes and some corn."

Zhu Yunwen hurriedly said,

"No, Mr. Su, I am asking what these things mean."

Su Qiao stood aside and smiled.

"Is Your Majesty not in a bad mood? If Your Highness the Crown Prince sends these items, at the very least, it will whet Your Majesty's appetite."

Looking at Su Qiao's expression, Huang Zicheng stroked his beard and stood aside, sighing with emotion.

"Lord Su, if you had arrived earlier, how could things have come to such a sorry state between us?"

"You are a man of great talent. Follow the Crown Prince, and he will certainly treat you well in the future."

Su Qiao couldn't be bothered with Huang Zicheng and smiled at Zhu Yunwen on his own accord:

"Your Highness, you should hurry and go see His Majesty."

Zhu Yunwen looked at Huang Zicheng with some confusion.

Huang Zicheng also nodded slightly.

"Your Highness, go ahead."

Zhu Yunwen, without a shred of doubt, grabbed the food box and hurried off to Qianqing Palace.

Along the way, he even ordered someone to bring a basin of hot water, fearing the dishes would get cold.

……

……

Inside Qianqing Palace.

Zhu Yuanzhang sat on the dragon throne with a dark expression.

And Jiang Huan kept his head down, daring not to speak.

"You Embroidered Uniform Guard are quite capable, aren't you?"

"You can't even track down a single merchant?"

Jiang Huan said in a trembling voice:

"Your Majesty, this humble servant has already sent people to comb through the entire Qianmen Street, and several estates outside the city have also been searched."

"Even old farmers who have tilled the land their whole lives have never heard of the items Your Majesty mentioned."

"Several foreign monks at the Court of Diplomatic Reception also said they've never heard of them."

Zhu Yuanzhang slammed his palm on the table with a "bang."

"If just anyone knew about it, why would I need you to go look for it?!"

"I give your Embroidered Uniform Guard so much silver every year—is it just so you can freeload?"

Hearing this, Jiang Huan shivered all the same.

He dropped to his knees with a thud:

"This servant deserves ten thousand deaths."

After saying this, Zhu Yuanzhang sank heavily back into the dragon throne.

"Keep looking, keep looking!"

"Even if you have to turn the entire capital upside down for me today."

"You must find this thing called 'tudou' for me!"