Chapter 360

"It won't spoil even if left for a year or two!"

"Moreover, it can be ground into flour just like wheat, used to steam buns, and eaten!"

He spoke these words aloud!

And with this utterance, Ying was shocked!

"Wheat, ground into flour?"

Li Si, Wang Wan, and Feng Quji were equally shocked!

Wheat can actually be ground into flour?

They were deeply stunned!

Zheng He paused in surprise!

Well, people of this era still did not know wheat could be ground into flour!

They all boiled wheat into porridge to drink, using it to stave off hunger!

Nevertheless, he patiently explained it further!

And with these words spoken, Ying Zheng, Wang Wan, and Feng Quji, all of them turned pale with shock!

Li Si was equally stunned!

However... their shock was limited solely to the fact that wheat had such a use!

As for buns, noodles, and the like, they felt little reaction!

The reason was simple: they had never seen them!

For things never seen, merely hearing a verbal description, what feeling could there be?

However... soon they lost much interest in this!

They merely informed Ying Zheng that this item could serve entirely as a staple food!

Ying Zheng's gaze turned toward those ships; he was once again drawn to these vessels, and asked Zheng He:

"On these ships, are there only sweet potatoes, potatoes, corn, and wheat?"

"What else is there?"

Zheng He said, "There are also chili peppers, watermelons, muskmelons, cucumbers, tomatoes, pineapples, and Hami melons!"

"Chili peppers?"

"Watermelons, muskmelons, cucumbers?"

"Tomatoes, pineapples, Hami melons?"

The crowd wore blank expressions; none had ever heard of these things!

Zheng He directly took out the bundle he carried on his person: "Except for the chili peppers, the others are inconvenient to carry, so only seeds remain!"

As he spoke, he took out these seeds one by one for everyone to see!

And he explained to everyone what these things would look like once grown!

After hearing this, the crowd, though feeling surprised, still... felt little reaction!

They could not even imagine it!

It was still the same reason: they had never seen them!

They had never seen them at all!

Instead, Ying Zheng held a dried chili pepper, examining it up and down: "Chili pepper? What is this thing?"

As he spoke, he subconsciously moved to put it into his mouth to taste!

"Don't!"

Zheng He hurriedly blocked him, but... it was too late!

By the time he reached out his hand, Ying Zheng had already placed the chili pepper in his mouth!

"Ah!"

Instantly, a cry of shock rang out!

He was so spicy that he could only slurp his mouth!

Zhao Gao flew into a rage on the spot, scolding Zheng He while simultaneously rushing to care for Ying Zheng!

Feng Quji and the others even surrounded Zheng He!

Zheng He shook his head and handed water to Ying Zheng!

After Ying Zheng finished the water, he looked at the half-chili pepper in his hand and was simply furious!

He flung the object aside with a wave of his hand!

Zheng He hurriedly picked it up and sighed toward Ying Zheng, "This thing is named chili pepper; it counts as a seasoning. Put some in a dish, and it becomes an exquisite flavor!"

"Exquisite flavor?"

"This counts as an exquisite flavor?"

"I would rather die than eat it!"

Ying Zheng spoke angrily, and as he spoke, he stuck out his tongue and began fanning it!

At the same time, he constantly drank water on himself!

Just now, it truly made him suffer terribly from the spiciness!

And Zheng He, Zuo Zuo Zongtang, and the others, watching Ying Zheng's appearance, burst into laughter!

How could it not be spicy?

That was a Chaotian pepper!

This scene, instead, made Zhao Gao's heart ache terribly!

However... with the display reaching this point, Zheng He's items were mostly displayed!

Because... the vast majority of items on this ship are sweet potatoes, potatoes, corn, and wheat!

This was a special request from Ying Su!

Because... only in this way can the current situation in Great Qin, where the vast majority of people go hungry, be changed!

And only by letting the vast majority of people have their fill can a nation have a so-called future!

If one cannot even have their fill, how can one speak of a future?

Next, it was time to return to the palace!

To show his closeness to Zheng He, Ying Zheng personally took Zheng He's hand and led him away from here!

Of course, this was not merely superficial; Ying Zheng truly intended to win Zheng He over!

One must know, he had brought back sweet potatoes, potatoes, corn, and these things!

These things are of utmost importance to Great Qin!

I failed to win over Dai Xin; if I can win Zheng He over to my side, then I will have directly seized control of Great Qin's economy!

If I can promote the spread of sweet potatoes, potatoes, and corn, and have Zheng He mention my name while promoting these!

Then... wouldn't I have obtained the people's hearts as well?

Zheng He's value is no less than Dai Xin's!

He is the foundation of the people's hearts!

Ying Zheng has high hopes for Zheng He!

At this very moment, he was already planning everything for the future in his mind!

As for the cargo on the ship, it was being unloaded by the people brought by Yuan Chonghuan, Fu Hao, and others!

Originally, Wei Liaozi, Feng Quji, and others had brought a group of people who wanted to help!

But... they were directly ordered to stop by Zhuge Liang:

"These are divine objects; no one but us may touch them!"

"You..."

Feng Quji, Zhao Gao, and others were extremely angry!

But... look at Zhuge Liang's demeanor!

And look at Fu Hao, Yuan Chonghuan, and the others!

Though they were angry, in the end they could only sigh and leave with their people!

The others similarly followed and left!

There was no way!

Zhuge Liang guarded them too closely!

And seeing Zhao Gao return disappointed, Ying Zheng could not help but sigh as well.