Chapter 193: New Grain Varieties

The banquet continued, but the atmosphere had clearly changed.

Zhu Shuang whispered to Zhu Gang, "Fourth brother, did you understand?"

"I think I understood; Second Prince dreamed of something good again," Zhu Gang said.

"Can those potatoes and sweet potatoes really yield twenty shi?"

"I don't know, but Second Prince never lies."

Zhu Di stood nearby, listening silently, a gleam flashing in his eyes.

He had always known his Second Prince was formidable, but he hadn't expected him to be this formidable.

Every time he "dreams," he sees something good; this isn't just a simpleton, it's a deity walking the mortal world, right?

The banquet lasted until the hour of Yin.

The two children had already fallen asleep.

Zhu Huanhuan curled up in Zhu Yuanzhang's arms, while Zhu Wenwen was carried by Empress Ma to a side hall for placement.

Zhu Yuanzhang looked at the sky outside and said, "That's about enough; everyone go back to rest. Shuang'er, Gang'er, you two tomorrow—no, today—come with us to the village outside the city."

"Yes, Imperial Father," Zhu Shuang and Zhu Gang hurriedly replied.

The others rose and took their leave.

Zhu Biao and Zhu Yong walked side by side out of Kunning Palace.

On the palace corridor, the sky was still dark, but in the distance a pale fish‑belly white was already spreading.

"Second brother," Zhu Biao suddenly said.

"Hmm."

"Can those potatoes, sweet potatoes, and corn really produce twenty shi?"

Zhu Yong thought for a moment and said, "White-bearded Old Man said so; I haven't planted them myself, but once planted you'll know."

Zhu Biao nodded.

"Over at the Ministry of Works, the steam engine is still in trial production; your blueprint this year will probably keep the court busy for several more years."

Zhu Yong chuckled naively, "Being busy is good; being busy shows there's work to do."

Zhu Biao glanced at him and smiled.

"Second brother is right, being busy is good."

He paused, "Last year a natural disaster emptied the Ministry of Revenue's granaries; if it weren't for you, Second brother, bringing back that gold and silver from Wa Country's Goryeo, the relief gap would never have been closed."

Silver can buy grain, but silver can't be eaten as food; our Great Ming desperately needs grain.

Zhu Yong listened attentively.

"Big brother, I understand."

"So these potatoes, sweet potatoes, and corn are more important than anything else. Second brother, big brother thanks you on behalf of the common folk," Zhu Biao said, looking at him.

Zhu Yong scratched his head and said, "Big brother, don't say that; I'm also a commoner."

Zhu Biao was momentarily stunned, then burst into laughter.

"Right, you are a commoner, you are Wu Wang of our Great Ming, and you are my younger brother."

He patted Zhu Yong's shoulder.

"Go back and rest; once dawn breaks we still have to accompany Imperial Father out of the city."

"Hmm, big brother should also rest early."

The two brothers part ways outside East Hua Gate.

Zhu Biao returned to the Eastern Palace, Zhu Yong returned to Wu Wang Fu.

……

Wu Wang Fu.

Zhu Yong had just entered the inner courtyard when Guanyin Nu came to greet him.

"Prince, where is Huan Huan?"

"She's sleeping with Imperial Mother; tomorrow—no, today we'll send someone to fetch her."

Guanyin Nu nodded and walked inside with him.

"Father is very pleased with tonight's Family Banquet," she whispered.

"Hmm, Father is happy when he sees Huan Huan," Zhu Yong said.

Guanyin Nu smiled slightly.

"I'm talking about those seeds," she said.

The two entered the house.

Zhu Yong finished washing up, lay on the bed, yet felt no drowsiness.

He reached out and tapped lightly in the void.

A system panel materialized before his eyes.

【Hongwu Year Nine Sign‑In Successful】

【Reward Obtained: Potato seeds ×1000 jin, Sweet‑potato seedlings ×2000 plants, Corn seeds ×800 jin】

【Reward Obtained: High‑Yield Crop Planting Diagram ×1 set】

【Note: Potatoes are cold‑tolerant, suitable for planting in the Northern Region; sweet potatoes are drought‑tolerant, suitable for mountainous areas; corn is barren‑soil tolerant, suitable for the Northwest】

【All three crops can yield five to ten times the traditional grain per mu】

Zhu Yong stared at the text, silently calculating in his mind.

A thousand jin of potato seeds, once sown, will harvest twenty thousand shi next year.

Twenty thousand shi is enough for ten thousand people to eat for a whole year.

This was only the first year.

Wait until next year for seed stock, then plant again the year after; after three years...

He closed his eyes.

The food problem could finally be solved.

……

The Eastern Palace.

Zhu Biao also hadn't slept.

He sat in his study, a ledger spread open before him.

The accounts of the natural disaster in the eighth year of Hongwu.

The figures submitted by the Ministry of Revenue were shocking.

Two million shi of grain for disaster relief, three million taels of silver allocated, plus tax reductions and exemptions in various regions...

If it hadn't been for the more than twenty million taels of gold and silver shipped back from Wa Country, Goryeo, and Northern Yuan in the past few years, the imperial court would never have been able to hold on.

But silver couldn't be eaten.

No matter how much silver you had, if you couldn't buy grain, it was useless.

"Prince." Chang Wan's voice came from behind him.

Zhu Biao turned around and saw her standing in the doorway, wearing an outer robe.

"Why are you up? Did Wenwen wake up?"

"No, I saw that you hadn't returned yet, so I came out to look. Not sleeping again tonight?" Chang Wan walked over, looking at his tired face.

Zhu Biao shook his head. "Can't sleep."

Chang Wan glanced at the ledger on the table and said softly, "Still thinking about the disaster?"

"Mm."

"Didn't Brother Yong offer those seeds? Plant them, and there'll be grain next year."

Zhu Biao was silent for a moment.

"Wanmei, you don't understand."

"What don't I understand?"

"After the seeds are planted, it takes a long time to harvest. In that time, disaster might strike again, locusts might return, floods and droughts might come again.

And besides, that grain won't go directly to disaster relief—it's going to be used as seed. We might have survived the eighth year of Hongwu, but can we guarantee we'll survive the ninth year?" Zhu Biao said.

Chang Wan didn't speak.

"Second Brother's gift of seeds has opened a new path for Great Ming, but the road must be traveled step by step, the grain harvested grain by grain. You can't rush it, and you can't get it wrong."

Zhu Biao said softly.

He closed the ledger.

"Starting tomorrow, the Ministry of Revenue, the Ministry of Works, and the Censorate will all be mobilized. The waterworks in Jiangnan must be repaired, the wastelands in Huguang must be cultivated, and the wheat fields in the Northern Region must be improved.

Within three years, even if disaster strikes again, the imperial court must be able to withstand it."

Chang Wan looked at him.

This man, on the outside, was always the gentle and refined Prince, in the court always the most proper Crown Prince.

But only she knew what determination and ruthlessness were hidden beneath that mild exterior.

"Prince," she said softly.

"Mm."

"No matter what happens, I will be with you."

Zhu Biao looked up at her and smiled.

"Good."

……

Qianqing Palace.

Zhu Yuanzhang also hadn't slept.

He stood by the window, looking at the sky outside gradually turning white.

"Zhong Ba, you should rest," Empress Ma said as she walked over.

"Wife, I can't sleep."

"Thinking about those seeds?"

"Mm," Zhu Yuanzhang said softly. "Yong Er said that potatoes can yield twenty shi, sweet potatoes fifteen or sixteen shi, and corn over ten shi."

"Wife, do you know what that means?"

Empress Ma didn't speak.

"It means that the people of our Great Ming will never have to go hungry again. It means those famine years, those families who sold their children, those people who gnawed on tree bark and ate guanyin clay... they won't happen anymore."

Zhu Yuanzhang said. Only those who had experienced it knew the importance of food. Zhu Yuanzhang had once experienced it, so he knew how important food was to the people.

He turned and looked at Empress Ma, continuing, "Wife, my life has been worth it."

Empress Ma gently took his hand.

"Zhong Ba, Yong Er is a gift from Heaven back to us."

Zhu Yuanzhang nodded.

"Yes, Heaven gave him back to us, and threw in so many good things too."

He paused.

"Wife, tell me, who is that white-bearded old man of Yong Er's?"

Empress Ma thought for a moment.

"No matter who it is, they're all good people."

Zhu Yuanzhang smiled.

"Yes, good people."

Outside the window, the sky gradually brightened.

A new day began.

……

At Chen Hour, outside the city, a village.

Zhu Yuanzhang stood on the ridge, looking at the mountain‑high piles of seeds before him, and remained silent for a long while.

Zhu Biao and Zhu Yong stood behind him.

Zhu Shuang, Zhu Gang, and Zhu Di, several princes, also followed, staring wide‑eyed at the potatoes, sweet potatoes, and corn.

"Is this a potato? It looks like a lump of earth," Zhu Shuang crouched, picked one up, weighed it, and said.

"Edible," Zhu Yong said, "it smells fragrant when boiled, and tastes good roasted as well."

Zhu Gang leaned in and asked, "Second Prince, can this thing really yield twenty shi?"

"White-bearded Old Man said so; I haven't cultivated it myself, only by planting will I know," Zhu Yong said with a laugh.

Zhu Yuanzhang turned around and looked at Zhu Biao.

"Biao, you arrange this matter."

"Yes, Imperial Father, I intend to select three official fields each in Jiangnan, Huguang, and Shandong, to trial‑plant potatoes, sweet potatoes, and corn.

At each location, assign a specialist to record, from sowing to harvest, daily, with no errors."

"On the Ministry of Works side, I will arrange people to study the planting diagrams, aiming to discern the habits of each crop within two years."

"On the Ministry of Revenue side, I will allocate special funds for seed mixing, tool improvement, and agricultural technique promotion."

"Within three years, these three crops must be spread throughout Great Ming."

Zhu Yuanzhang listened, nodding continuously.

"Good, we'll proceed as you said."

He gazed at those seeds, his eyes far‑seeing.

"Yong Er, these things are more precious than Gold and Silver jewelry."

"Father, I know Gold and Silver jewelry can't be eaten, but these can," Zhu Yong said.

Zhu Yuanzhang patted his shoulder.

"Let's go back to the palace."

……

On the road back to the city, Zhu Yong rode his horse beside Zhu Biao.

"Elder brother," he suddenly said.

"Hmm?"

"These crops need someone to watch over them."

"They've already been arranged."

"I mean, someone must supervise those responsible for planting; if anyone slacks or spoils the seeds, that's a year's harvest lost."

Zhu Yong said.

Zhu Biao turned his head, puzzled, and asked, "Second brother, what do you want to say?"

Zhu Yong scratched his head and said, "I don't know either, I just feel that such good things shouldn't be left to cause trouble."

Zhu Biao fell silent for a moment.

"You're right."

He paused, then said, "For this, Elder brother will assign specialists to watch, and any dereliction will be severely punished without mercy."

Zhu Yong nodded.

The two brothers continued side by side.

In the distance, the walls of Yingtian Prefecture grew clearer.

On the city tower, Great Ming's banner fluttered in the wind.

In the ninth year of Hongwu, Spring Festival.

This day was destined to be recorded in the annals.