Chapter 4: Sweet Potatoes and Potatoes, Su Liang is Ennobled

Changancheng, the backyard of the Su residence.

"Your Majesty."

"Your subject has a method to resolve the current shortage of warhorses."

Li Shimin was full of doubt upon hearing Su Liang’s words.

"Oh? What solution does Young Master Su have?"

Su Liang said with a mysterious smile.

"Your Majesty, when you trim your nails, does it hurt?"

"It does not. What is the meaning of this, Young Master Su?"

Li Shimin frowned, puzzled.

"Trimming a horse's hooves does not hurt the horse either. If we nail iron plates beneath the hooves, it can resolve the warhorse shortage, and the weapons on the battlefield will not injure the horses."

Su Liang said slowly.

He then took out a blueprint.

He handed it to Emperor Li Shimin.

"This is the blueprint; your subject calls it a horseshoe. Please take a look, Your Majesty!"

"Wonderful, wonderful! Hahaha..."

Li Shimin laughed heartily.

"Good, good, good! Young Master Su, are there any other marvelous items?"

"Your subject has an item that can resolve the current shortage of plow oxen."

"Your subject has invented a new plow; the plowing efficiency is three times greater than before. Furthermore, it does not require oxen; human labor can also pull it."

Hearing this, Emperor Li Shimin became excited and could not help but ask.

"Is this true? If it is, the arable land of our Great Tang will expand threefold!"

"Naturally, it is true!"

"There is no point in deceiving Your Majesty; your subject does not wish to die yet."

"This is the blueprint. Your Majesty may have the Ministry of Works manufacture it to see for yourself. If the Ministry of Works has any questions, they may come to ask me."

Su Liang slowly took out the blueprint and chuckled.

"Li Junxian, quickly send this blueprint to Duan Lun and order him to manufacture it for a trial. If he cannot manufacture it, he can stop serving as Minister of the Ministry of Works!"

Half an hour later.

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty!"

The Minister of the Ministry of Works, Duan Lun, rushed over.

"Reporting to Your Majesty, it is indeed as Young Master Su said; the plowing efficiency is three times greater than before. Not only that, it can be pulled by human labor, reaching the same level as using plow oxen."

"I wonder, Your Majesty, what is this item called?"

Li Shimin looked silently at Su Liang.

"Your Majesty, this item is called a curved-shaft plow!"

Su Liang answered calmly.

"Hahaha, what a fine curved-shaft plow!"

Li Shimin immediately laughed heartily.

"Your subject congratulates Your Majesty on obtaining such a fine plow; may it plow for eternal peace!"

Empress Zhangsun was also happy for Li Shimin, and even more so for the people of the world.

"Your subjects congratulate Your Majesty on obtaining such a fine plow; may it plow for eternal peace!"

Seeing this, the crowd offered their congratulations one after another.

"Young Master Su, what else do you have? Quickly let Us see."

At this moment, Li Shimin was all smiles, as excited as a child.

"Ding: Congratulations to the host for completing the mission. The reward has been deposited into the storage space."

Hehe...

It has finally arrived!

Su Liang smiled to himself.

"When your subject was traveling the world, I discovered two types of crops that can yield about five thousand catties per mu. They can resolve the food shortage."

"Both of these crops can be harvested twice a year, mature in three months, and can be planted throughout all four seasons."

"One is called a potato; it is cold-resistant, can be planted in the north, and can be stored in a cellar for two months."

"One is called a sweet potato; it can be stored in a cellar for six months."

"These two items can be boiled, roasted, stir-fried, or even deep-fried in oil."

"Not only that, the sweet potato can even be eaten raw!"

Li Shimin and the others watched Su Liang speak eloquently, as if they saw the prosperous age of the Great Tang.

"If this is truly the case, within three years, every household of our Great Tang will have surplus grain."

Emperor Li Shimin asked, his excitement undisguised.

"Naturally, it is true!"

"Your subject would never dare to commit the crime of deceiving the Emperor!"

Su Liang smiled slightly.

"I wonder where these items are? May We see them first?"

"Why not? Please wait a moment, Your Majesty; I will go fetch them now."

Su Liang had to find an excuse; he could not just take them out in front of everyone.

A moment later.

Su Liang brought over some potatoes and sweet potatoes.

"Your Majesty, this is the potato. It can be boiled, roasted, stir-fried, or even deep-fried in oil..."

Su Liang pointed at the yellowish, fist-sized potatoes and explained slowly.

He then pointed at the reddish sweet potatoes, which were as thick as an arm.

"This is the sweet potato. It can also be boiled, roasted, stir-fried, deep-fried in oil, and can even be eaten raw..."

"Your Majesty, Empress, Duke of Zhao, you may try this sweet potato first. It has already been washed and can be eaten after peeling."

Before the crowd could react.

Emperor Li Shimin picked up a sweet potato and took a crunchy bite.

"You all should try it quickly. It is not as if Young Master Su would harm Us. It is both crunchy and sweet; it is delicious, try it quickly."

Immediately, everyone picked up sweet potatoes, and there was a chorus of crunching sounds.

"Guanyinbi, Wuji, is it not both crunchy and sweet?"

Emperor Li Shimin chuckled.

"It is indeed both crunchy and sweet."

"It is truly both crunchy and sweet; it is delicious."

Everyone agreed that it was delicious.

"Young Master Su, what does it mean to stir-fry, and how does one roast them?"

Empress Zhangsun could not help but ask.

She had not wanted to interrupt Su Liang earlier.

"That is right, Young Master Su. What does it mean to stir-fry, and how does one roast them?"

Emperor Li Shimin and Zhangsun Wuji also asked, following the lead.

"To stir-fry means to cook in a wok with oil. This cooking method is one I invented by chance. Dishes made this way are complete in color, aroma, and taste. Most dishes can be stir-fried; this can be called stir-frying."

"As for roasting, it means wrapping the sweet potato in a layer of mud and roasting it in a fire. You can also roast it without the mud; in short, no matter how you roast it, as long as it is cooked through and not burnt, it will do."

Su Liang explained patiently.

"Good, good, good! Then we shall dine at your residence tonight and try these stir-fried dishes to see if they are as you say!"

"You go and prepare the ingredients; the Empress, the Duke of Zhao, and I will chat for a while."

Hearing this, Su Liang was speechless, his head full of black lines; he was the only person in Changancheng who knew how to stir-fry.

There was no help for it; he had to go find assistants.

Those two boys should be finished with their work by now.

"Guanyinbi, Wuji, what official position do you think I should bestow upon Young Master Su? There are no outsiders here, so speak freely!"

Emperor Li Shimin gazed at the two of them and spoke slowly.

"Your Majesty, in my opinion, any position would do. Su Liang is not only a master of zither, chess, calligraphy, and painting, but he is also peerless in both medicine and martial arts. I believe he is qualified for both civil and military posts. The great scholars of the age, such as Kong Yingda and Li Gang, all praise his literary talent and have conceded defeat. Yu Shinan once said that of all the literary talent in the world, Su Liang alone possesses eight-tenths of it."

"Does Your Majesty remember the military general Su Liang recommended, Xue Rengui, who is said to have the courage of ten thousand men? Even Xue Rengui once said he could not last three moves against Su Liang. I just do not know what kind of position would suit him."

Zhangsun Wuji said in a deep voice, his face full of admiration.

"Guanyinbi, what do you think? I also wish to hear your evaluation of Su Liang."

Li Shimin turned to look at Empress Zhangsun, hoping for a different perspective.

"Er-lang, I think it would be best to bestow a high title of nobility upon Su Liang. There is no need for him to attend court or hold an official position. This young man is unrestrained, yet he holds the world in his heart. If you encounter any difficult problems, Er-lang, you can simply ask Su Liang; I believe he would not refuse."

Empress Zhangsun spoke slowly, calm and composed.

"Good, good, good! Guanyinbi truly understands Me!"

"Fuji, draft an imperial decree for me. Confer upon Su Liang the title of Prince of Chu, grant him a fief of ten thousand households, bestow ten thousand mu of fertile land, and specifically grant him the Hibiscus Garden..."

Li Er laughed heartily, bestowing rewards in one go.

"Your Majesty, Su Liang is not of the imperial line. Conferring the title of Prince of the Blood upon him seems inappropriate; our Great Tang has had no such precedent since its founding."

Zhangsun Wuji patiently advised.

"It matters not, it matters not. Then we shall break this precedent. I have always been clear in rewards and punishments. The merit Su Liang has established today is comparable to the merit of founding the dynasty; the ministers at court will certainly have no objections."

"I have long intended to betroth Princess Changle to that lad. Guanyinbi agrees to this, and Changle is willing as well."

"Nowadays, there is not a single young lady in Changancheng who does not wish to marry the Su lad. How could I miss out on such a fine son-in-law?"

"Although Su Liang once stayed overnight at the Pingkang Ward every night, he only doted on that one courtesan of the Pingkang Ward, and that woman was still a maiden before then."

"Fuji, you need not say more. I understand what you mean. Now that Princess Xiangcheng has also reached the age for marriage, I shall issue a decree to bestow a marriage another day."

Upon hearing this, Zhangsun Wuji felt a storm raging in his heart. Although they were both princesses favored by His Majesty, everyone understood the difference in status.

One born of the Empress, one born of a concubine; poor my Chong'er.

Zhangsun Wuji sighed helplessly.

"Your Majesty, I have no objections, but that Hibiscus Garden is an imperial palace. To bestow it upon Su Liang just like that, this..."

Zhangsun Wuji was still trying hard to persuade him.

"Hahaha, it matters not, it matters not. It is what I am bestowing upon Princess Changle and my future son-in-law, what is wrong with that? It is just a larger garden, Fuji, no need to say more."

Li Er chuckled.

"Besides, when I wish to stay there, could that lad possibly refuse to let me stay?"

"Li Junxian, go find Fang Xuanling, Du Ruhui, Li Jing, and Cheng Yaojin. Tonight, we shall all taste the stir-fried dishes of the Su lad..."

"Wang De, go invite Changle over. Has she not been wanting to see the Su lad for a long time?"

At this moment, Su Liang.

Did not yet know he had already been made a Prince!

Not only that.

He had also gained a wife for free!

Since the system had just rewarded him with chili peppers, he could have hot pot, so he happily went to the blacksmith shop to have a yin-yang pot made.

The Great Tang did not yet have this kind of pot; he had to supervise and direct it himself.

Cheng Chumo and Qin Huaiyu hurriedly went to prepare the ingredients according to Su Liang's instructions.

One hour later, at the Su residence.

Everyone sat in the hall, and dish after dish was brought out.

Stir-fried leeks with eggs, shredded potatoes in sour and spicy sauce, roasted sweet potatoes, beef stewed with potatoes, mutton stewed with radishes...

"Is this beef?" Li Er asked from the side, puzzled.

"Your Majesty, this is the cow from my home that died of a broken heart today," Cheng Yaojin chuckled.

Everyone burst into laughter.

They were already used to this.

This matter had been instigated by Su Liang for Cheng Chumo to do.

In any case, cows often died at Cheng Yaojin's house.

Died of a cold, died of dystocia, died of a broken heart...

In short, every excuse had been used by Cheng Yaojin.

"Today, I have also prepared hot pot for everyone, a new way of eating. Everyone can feast to their heart's content today."

"Eh, what is this thing?"

"This is a potato."

"Eh, and what is this thing?"

"This is a roasted sweet potato."

"Delicious, delicious."

"Soft, glutinous, and fragrant; the sweet potato is truly fragrant!"

"Eh, what kind of pot is this? How peculiar."

"This is a hot pot, there is charcoal underneath. You can just dip the beef, mutton, and vegetables into the pot to cook them before eating."

Su Liang explained patiently from the side.

"Damn! Damn! Damn!"

"What is this thing, why is it so spicy?"

"Ah... it's burning me to death... water... quickly give me water..."

Cheng Yaojin cursed and swore.

"This thing is called a chili pepper. It is not for you to eat directly; it is for seasoning."

"This side is not spicy; the broth is made from beef bones."

"This is the dipping sauce; you can dip your food in it. It is specifically for hot pot."

"Everyone eat more. We slaughtered one cow and two sheep today, enough for everyone to eat."

Su Liang explained slowly.

"Cheng the brute, slow down, no one is fighting you for it."

Seeing this, His Majesty Li Er also laughed heartily.

"Guanyinbi, you should also try this hot pot."

"Changle, you should also try it quickly."

"Eh, Brother Su, what is this?" Changle asked, puzzled, as she picked up a long object with her chopsticks.

Li Er: ?

Empress: ??

Everyone: ???

"Su Liang, I have heard that you are a man who loves wine as much as his own life. Do you have any good wine in your residence?"

Li Er could not help but try to get a free drink from Su Liang.

"There is plenty of good wine. Everyone is very happy today, so let us drink until we are drunk."

"Yu'er, bring the good wine that the Young Master brewed!"

Su Liang shouted.

"Such fine wine is truly rare in this world. Young Master Su has great talent to be able to brew such strong liquor."

Everyone could not help but sigh with emotion, praising it endlessly.

"Su lad, what is the name of this wine?"

"I have not yet thought of a name for this wine. What do you all think of calling it 'Drunken Tang'?"

"Good!"

"Good!"

"Good!"

"Su lad, I will take a few jars of wine back to the palace later."

"I want some too..."

"I want some too..."

"I want some too..."

"It matters not, everyone shall have some. There is not much in stock, so my lords, please drink less. In fifteen days, there will be as much as you want."

Later, everyone drank and chatted happily, what a joy!

"Su lad, today I confer upon you the title of Prince of Chu. You do not need to attend court; just help me come up with ideas."

"In addition, for the Hibiscus Garden I bestowed upon you, pick a day to move in. Consider it Changle's dowry."

After three rounds of drinks.

His Majesty Li Er gazed at Su Liang and chuckled.

"Ding: The system has detected the host's situation..."

"System reminder to the host: Princess Changle, named Li Lizhi, is thirteen years old, petite and exquisite, beautiful as a flower, and as her name suggests, naturally beautiful."

Isn't this nonsense? She is right here eating hot pot with me.

Su Liang muttered to himself.

"Ding: New task issued: Marry Princess Changle."

"Task completion reward: True Man Physique... the host may imagine it for himself."

"Damn, damn, damn."

Su Liang was secretly delighted. A prince title, a princess marrying into his family, the Hibiscus Garden, hahaha...

"This son-in-law thanks you, Father-in-law!"

"Hehe... you lad, you certainly don't stand on ceremony."

His Majesty Li Er chuckled.

"I am very happy today. Why doesn't my worthy son-in-law compose a poem?"

"Please, Your Majesty, give me a topic."

Su Liang smiled slightly.

"Then let the Empress be the subject, Wang De, you take the pen."

His Majesty Li Er pondered slightly.

Pure Peace Tune: Empress Zhangsun

Gentle, virtuous, and kind to all under heaven; a beauty of peerless grace accompanies the monarch.

A single glance back and a smile, a hundred charms are born; the powdered beauties of the six palaces lose all their color.

"Hahaha, you lad are teasing me."

His Majesty Li Er laughed heartily.

"Brother Su, I want one too, I want to laugh too."

Changle, standing to the side, clamored, her face blushing red.

"Alright, alright, alright, I shall compose a poem for you as well."

Pure Peace Tune: Changle

Clouds remind me of her robes, flowers of her face; the spring breeze brushes the balustrade, the dew is thick and bright.

If not seen at the peak of Mount Qunyu, one would meet her under the moon at the Jade Terrace.

Hearing this, Changle was overcome with bashfulness.

Empress Zhangsun looked on and smiled as well.

"Young Master Su, could you also compose a poem for this old man?"

The Duke of Wei, Li Jing, inquired.

"Alright, alright, alright. Everyone here today, except for His Majesty, shall have one; what I present to His Majesty must naturally be different from the rest."

Su Liang agreed immediately.

Song of the River City: For Li Jing

I, an old man, give vent to the wildness of my youth; on the left I lead a yellow hound, on the right I hold a falcon; with a brocade cap and sable fur, a thousand riders sweep across the flat hills.

To repay the city for following the governor, I personally shoot the tiger and watch the grandson of Sun.

With wine, my chest and courage expand; though my temples are frosted with white, what does it matter! Holding the imperial tally in Yunzhong, when will they send a Feng Tang?

I will pull my carved bow like a full moon, looking toward the northwest, to shoot the Heavenly Wolf.

Hearing this, Li Jing could not help but shed tears.

Half an hour later.

Everyone had received a poem they were satisfied with.

"Little Su, that 'Bring in the Wine' of yours does not seem complete; can you finish it today?"

Li Er could not help but ask in confusion.

Hearing this, Su Liang felt a bit awkward.

After a moment of thought, he spoke calmly.

"I can, but the wording violates the Great Tang's laws against slaughtering oxen; I hope Your Majesty will not blame me."

"It is of no consequence. I will not blame you; with your merits today, no one would dare speak against you."

Understanding the reason behind it.

His Majesty Li Er indicated it did not matter.

"Good!"

Do you not see the waters of the Yellow River come down from the sky, rushing to the sea, never to return?

Do you not see the bright mirror in the high hall mourning white hair, morning like black silk, evening turning to snow?

When life is successful, one must enjoy it to the fullest; do not let the golden goblet face the moon empty.

Heaven has made me with talents that must be useful; a thousand gold pieces spent, they will return again.

Cook the sheep and slaughter the ox for pleasure; we must drink three hundred cups at once.

Fang Xuanling, Du Ru, "Bring in the Wine," do not stop the cups.

I sing a song for you, please listen to me with your ears inclined.

Bells, drums, and delicacies are not worth valuing; I only wish to stay drunk and never wake.

Since ancient times, sages and worthies have all been lonely; only the drinkers leave their names behind.

Prince Chen once feasted at Pingle, drinking ten thousand measures of wine, indulging in joy and jest.

Why does the host say there is little money? Just buy more and drink with you.

A five-flower horse, a thousand-gold fur coat; call the boy to exchange them for fine wine, and with you, I shall dissolve the sorrows of ten thousand ages.

"Alright, alright, alright! A good poem, good verses! 'When life is successful, one must enjoy it to the fullest,' 'A thousand gold pieces spent, they will return again'—a man should be like this!"

"Hahaha, 'Cook the sheep and slaughter the ox for pleasure, we must drink three hundred cups at once'!"

"Within two years, I will surely ensure that the people of my Great Tang can all eat beef and mutton!"

His Majesty Li Er vowed solemnly.